July 29, 2026 12:57 AM PDT
*With the offseason officially underway, examines what's next for all 32 teams. The series continues with the . * What's changing? Give the credit: They owned up to the nightmare scenario of their 2015 season and rebooted the braintrust in a quick and impre sive manner. The team was lauded for its hiring of general manager Ryan Pace, while the new coaching trio of John Fox, offensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is a vast upgrade over the prior regime. Now the hard part, fixing a 5-11 team with plenty of holes, particularly on defense. There's also, of course, the smoking 800-pound gorilla in the room. Does get yet another shot at this? Biggest free agents DB : He's been a staple of the secondary for years, but age and injuries appear to be catching up to Peanut. Tillman has indicated his heart . The rebuilding don't seem to be a logical fit. LB : The 33-year-old veteran has expre sed an openne s to playing inside in a 3-4 Fangio scheme, but Chicago could look to get younger at the position rather than keep around a progre s-stopper, to borrow a Parcells-ism. Other key free agents: QB , S , LB , Carmelo Anthony Jersey K On the way out? QB : Most fans would love to wash their hands of Cutler, but what's the next move? Cutler was a turnover-prone me s who got benched last season, but he remains a talented pa ser who could be reined in by the Fox/Gase/Dowell Loggains combo. Of course, Cutler has been slaying would-be lion-tamers for a decade. WR : There's no question about Marshall's playmaking ability. This is about whether the are willing to put up with another year of the ancillary headaches that follow the Inside The NFL analyst. DE : Allen will be 33 in April and is coming off the least productive sack season of his fine career. He's also not a natural fit in Fangio's 3-4. Allen's $12.5 million base salary in 2015 is fully guaranteed, meaning that entire amount would be a dead money hit if Chicago were to release him. What they need The makeover starts on defense. The allowed the second-most yards in franchise history last season. Only the 2013 unit was worse. The pick seventh overall in April, and the focus should be on importing an instant difference-maker, with special focus on linebacker and safety. Marshall and are fine receivers, but the lack a slot option who adds another dimension. would be the ideal acquisition here -- would Green Bay let the wideout escape to a division rival? Finally, Chicago must do better than as an alternative to Cutler. Fox can tell you all about putting your eggs in the basket (it helped end his tenure in Carolina once upon a time). Offseason crystal ball We'd be extremely surprised if Cutler goes anywhere. The remain deeply committed financially, and Cutler is simply better than any other option. We also expect to see Marshall back -- even if he can be a pain in the butt. The defense is going to look very different, from both a personnel and schematic standpoint. With a top-10 pick and a healthy salary-cap situation, expect Pace to invest big in a makeover. Given the right parts, Fangio will quickly lift the unit to respectability. The latest Podcast and 's new deal with the . Find more content on . Nikola Jokic Jersey
*With the offseason officially underway, examines what's next for all 32 teams. The series continues with the . * What's changing? Give the credit: They owned up to the nightmare scenario of their 2015 season and rebooted the braintrust in a quick and impre sive manner. The team was lauded for its hiring of general manager Ryan Pace, while the new coaching trio of John Fox, offensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is a vast upgrade over the prior regime. Now the hard part, fixing a 5-11 team with plenty of holes, particularly on defense. There's also, of course, the smoking 800-pound gorilla in the room. Does get yet another shot at this? Biggest free agents DB : He's been a staple of the secondary for years, but age and injuries appear to be catching up to Peanut. Tillman has indicated his heart . The rebuilding don't seem to be a logical fit. LB : The 33-year-old veteran has expre sed an openne s to playing inside in a 3-4 Fangio scheme, but Chicago could look to get younger at the position rather than keep around a progre s-stopper, to borrow a Parcells-ism. Other key free agents: QB , S , LB , Carmelo Anthony Jersey K On the way out? QB : Most fans would love to wash their hands of Cutler, but what's the next move? Cutler was a turnover-prone me s who got benched last season, but he remains a talented pa ser who could be reined in by the Fox/Gase/Dowell Loggains combo. Of course, Cutler has been slaying would-be lion-tamers for a decade. WR : There's no question about Marshall's playmaking ability. This is about whether the are willing to put up with another year of the ancillary headaches that follow the Inside The NFL analyst. DE : Allen will be 33 in April and is coming off the least productive sack season of his fine career. He's also not a natural fit in Fangio's 3-4. Allen's $12.5 million base salary in 2015 is fully guaranteed, meaning that entire amount would be a dead money hit if Chicago were to release him. What they need The makeover starts on defense. The allowed the second-most yards in franchise history last season. Only the 2013 unit was worse. The pick seventh overall in April, and the focus should be on importing an instant difference-maker, with special focus on linebacker and safety. Marshall and are fine receivers, but the lack a slot option who adds another dimension. would be the ideal acquisition here -- would Green Bay let the wideout escape to a division rival? Finally, Chicago must do better than as an alternative to Cutler. Fox can tell you all about putting your eggs in the basket (it helped end his tenure in Carolina once upon a time). Offseason crystal ball We'd be extremely surprised if Cutler goes anywhere. The remain deeply committed financially, and Cutler is simply better than any other option. We also expect to see Marshall back -- even if he can be a pain in the butt. The defense is going to look very different, from both a personnel and schematic standpoint. With a top-10 pick and a healthy salary-cap situation, expect Pace to invest big in a makeover. Given the right parts, Fangio will quickly lift the unit to respectability. The latest Podcast and 's new deal with the . Find more content on . Nikola Jokic Jersey