(670 The Score) At the end of an underwhelming 2020 season, the Bears retained general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy while putting the pressure on them to produce a winner next season.
Like 31 other teams, the Bears have the opportunity to upgrade their roster this week, with the start of the new league year looming Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT. At that time, trades can officially be made and free agents can be signed.
Roster upgrades won't come easy for Pace and the Bears given the team's considerable needs and salary cap constraints, but they'll be active. Here are four positions that are priorities for the Bears to address in free agency.
1.) Quarterback
An NFL team could be stacked with talent at every position, but it doesn't matter without a good quarterback. The Bears have certainly learned that while struggling to fill the pivotal position.
The Bears are back in the quarterback market after allowing Mitchell Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick in 2017, to become an unrestricted free agent following four disappointing seasons. Chicago has its sights set on the top quarterbacks available in an unprecedented carousel at the position. Those desires start with Texans star Deshaun Watson and Seahawks star Russell Wilson, who both could potentially be available in the trade market after expressing unhappiness with their organizations.
The Bears would have to trade multiple first-round picks and more to acquire Watson or Wilson. Beyond that, neither the Texans nor the Seahawks have openly expressed a desire to trade their star quarterbacks. Such a trade possibility could also linger well beyond the opening of the new league year Wednesday.
The quarterback trade prospects aren't limited to Watson and Wilson. The Jets could deal Sam Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick in 2018. The Panthers may make Teddy Bridgewater available for a reasonable price. Others like the Raiders' Derek Carr or the 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo could land on the trade market as well.
The free-agent market is far more limited in talent. It's a group led by Alex Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jameis Winston and Trubisky.
2.) Offensive tackle
The Bears have an immediate void at right tackle and long-term questions at left tackle, making the position a major priority to address.
Veteran tackle Bobby Massie is set to hit free agency after the Bears didn't exercise the 2021 option on his contract, leaving a vacancy at right tackle that has no clear replacement. The Bears could turn to a draft class that's deep at offensive tackle to fill the void. They'll almost certainly sign a veteran stopgap as well. That could mean re-signing veteran Germain Ifedi, who started 16 games for Chicago in 2020.
At left tackle, Charles Leno Jr. has held down the starting spot since 2015 and will likely be the starter there in 2021. But Chicago needs to address the position for the future as the 29-year-old Leno has played inconsistently at a key spot.
The open market includes veteran tackles like Trent Williams, Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, but the Bears will be limited on the financial front in their offerings for in-demand players.
3.) Wide receiver
The Bears retained top receiver Allen Robinson by utilizing the franchise tag, a move that was largely expected. But wide receiver is still a pressing need in Chicago.
Robinson and Darnell Mooney can lead the Bears at receiver in 2021, but there's no stability at the position beyond those top two. Anthony Miller and Javon Wims may be released at some point this offseason. Riley Ridley, a fourth-round pick in 2019, hasn't been trusted by the coaching staff to play any kind of role in the offense.
There will be a number of quality top receivers available in free agency. The Bears could pursue a complementary target for Robinson in JuJu Smith-Schuster, Corey Davis or T.Y. Hilton, but it's hard to imagine that coming to fruition if a new Bears quarterback is commanding a large salary.
A veteran addition like John Brown or Emmanuel Sanders would make more sense for the Bears.
4.) Cornerback
Kyle Fuller is either the Bears' top cornerback or most valuable salary cap casualty, depending on how Pace looks at the situation. Either way, the position is another priority.
Fuller's release could save the Bears $11 million against the cap and open up the breathing room they need to make other key moves. Fuller might also be an ideal trade chip in a blockbuster involving a premier quarterback. Of course, his departure would put pressure on 2020 second-round pick Jaylon Johnson to quickly become a top cornerback.
As for Johnson, he didn't require surgery to repair his left shoulder for a second straight offseason, but his injury history is becoming a concern. The Bears have a couple rising players in Kindle Vildor and Duke Shelley, but neither is proven as a starter.
The Bears will need to add veteran stability at cornerback this offseason.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.