The season is over, so its every Bears fans' favorite time: the hypotheticals. Here is my first version of what I believe could be a contending team next season.

Cuts

Ryan Bates- 4M

T.J. Edwards- 4M

Restructures

D.J. Moore- $16.8M

Montez Sweat- $16.9M

Jaylon Johnson- $11.1M

Cole Kmet- $6M

Re-Signs

Kevin Byard- 2 years, $12M

Jaquan Brisker- 3 years, $33M

Jordan McFadden- 2 years, $3.2M(RFA)

Theo Benedet- 2 years, $3M(RFA)

Durham Smythe- 1 year, $1.3M

C.J. Gardner-Johnson- 1 year, $6.5M

D’Marco Jackson- 1 year, $1.2M

Free Agent Signings

Khalil Mack- 1 year, $17M

Cole Holcomb- 2 years, $8M

Rondale Moore- 1 year, $3M

Jeff Okudah- 1 year, Vet Minimum (~$1.2M)

Draft Picks

1-25- CJ Allen, LB

2-57- Zion Young, EDGE

3-89- Zakhee Wheatley, S

4-130- Keylan Rutledge, OL

5-163- Max Llewellyn, DE

7-239- Ethan Onianwa, OT

7-241- Rayshaun Benny, DT

Outlook: This Bears team was one hard-run route away from being in the NFC Championship game, but this season was never supposed to be about contending. Ben Johnson changed the culture, and that will carry over. We add pieces where we need, keep the core together, and fight on.

Offense: Keep it the same. Trapilo- Thuney- Dalman- Jackson- Wright all run it back. We keep McFadden and Benedet for important depth. Top 4 receivers are Moore, Rome, Luther, Jahdae, with Rondale Moore coming in as a depth piece/returner. RB room, TE room, and of course QB room stay the same. This offense with an off-season learning the system could be at the top of the league next season.

Defense: Bears fans hated this defense at times, but there was a lot of positives. That started with the DB room, which forced the most INTs in the league. We do, however, get rid of Nahshon Wright, who led the league in said turnovers, but also was a liability at times. We bring back the safeties, but Draft Wheatley to learn under Byard, and sign Jeff Okudah for a veteran CB4. LBs were very good and very bad. We cut TJ, a tough one, but a move we needed for cap space. We bring back D'Marco for depth, get Cole Holcomb for a veteran decent LB, and draft CJ Allen to be a stud. DL was the biggest problem, so we addressed it. We sign Khalil Mack for a 1 year reunion at DE, move Dayo to DT, Draft Zion Young and Max Llewellyn on the EDGE, and this fron 4 looks much improved. Expect the defense to make huge leaps in year 2 under Dennis Allen.l

Projected Lineup: https://fanspo.com/nfl/s/bears/p/eQYLUm16UkUOmB/bears-projected-lineup-with-mock-offseason