One trade, cut and signing the Chicago Bears should make

Believe it or not, the Chicago Bears made positive strides last season, improving from 3-14 to 7-10 in 2023. Meanwhile, armed with a good chunk of cap space and two top-10 picks in April's NFL Draft, the team is in an envious position to improve massively this offseason. 

With that in mind, here's a trade, cut and signing the Bears should make.

TRADE: Quarterback Justin Fields 

The former first-round pick has shown promising glimpses of potential but not enough to invest in him as the franchise guy, especially when the team owns the No. 1 pick in April's NFL Draft. 

Among the 25 QBs who've made at least 30 starts since Fields' rookie year in 2021, he ranks 24th in completion percentage (60.3), 23rd in passing yards (6,674), 22nd in passing touchdowns (40) and has the seventh-most interceptions thrown (30). Furthermore, with a record of 10-28, Fields has won the fewest games while only Jacksonville Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence has more losses (30). 

After three seasons, the jury is still out on Fields, which is precisely why the Bears should move on. The team will benefit from having a quarterback on a rookie deal and receive a decent package of assets in exchange for Fields. Per ESPN, the realistic return would be 2024 second and fourth-round picks. Meanwhile, trading Fields would create $3.2M in cap savings. 

At the very least, Fields is a starting-caliber QB in the league and could still blossom into a star. However, if you're the Bears, the chance to upgrade the position with the top pick is a rare opportunity too great to pass up.

CUT: Travis Homer 

The Bears already freed up $21.8M in cap space after cutting safety Eddie Jackson and offensive lineman Cody Whitehair. When taking a gander at the rest of the team's roster, the next logical cut candidate is probably Homer. 

Homer's $1.5M salary for the 2024 season isn't breaking the bank, but the Bears are overpaying for what he brings. 

The 25-year-old signed a two-year, $4M deal with the Bears last offseason but never factored into the team's offense. Before moving on to Chicago, Homer was predominantly a special teamer with the Seattle Seahawks, a trend that continued in his new home. In 2023, Homer lined up for only six offensive plays, taking 61 percent of the team's special teams snaps. 

A five-year veteran, Homer is useful, but the Bears should easily be able to find a suitable replacement for his role, and one that's more affordable and younger, either in the draft or in free agency. 

Cutting Homer would save the Bears $1.8M in cap space.  

SIGNING: Wide receiver Mike Evans 

After landing D.J. Moore in a trade last offseason, the Bears made a massive upgrade to the wide receiver room. However, with tight end Cole Kmet as the team's No. 2 option on offense, Fields or a rookie QB would greatly benefit from a veteran addition. Who better than Evans? 

Since entering the league in 2014, no offensive player has more receiving yards than Evans (11,680), and only Las Vegas Raiders' Davante Adams has more touchdown receptions (95). Meanwhile, at 30 years old, he's still performing at a high level. In 2023, Evans led the NFL with 13 touchdowns, recording 79 receptions for 1,255 yards over 17 games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Most importantly, with each passing day, it's looking more likely that Evans will be available. A team-imposed deadline to sign the four-time Pro Bowler to a contract extension has come and gone. At the same time, insider Jordan Schultz reported that Evans is trending toward becoming a free agent "barring an unexpected change in discussions." 

According to Spotrac, only three teams have more cap space than the Bears this offseason. While they won't use it all on free agents, fitting in Evans shouldn't be an issue.