With the Chicago Bears deciding to fire general manager Jerry Angelo, it added another question to a team that already has a lot to be answered for next season. Here’s a look at a few issues the Bears will have to address.

Find A New General Manager

I guess this is a pretty obvious one, but it’s certainly an important one. Angelo has been the Bears GM since 2001. It will take a little time for a new GM —whoever that might be—to settle in. Eric DeCosta ( Baltimore Ravens ), Les Snead ( Atlanta Falcons ) and Steve Keim ( Arizona Cardinals ) have been mentioned as possible replacements.

Signing Matt Forte

This is a question mark that shouldn’t exist, but it does. The Bears have seemingly torqued off Forte a bit by not signing him to a long-term contract prior to the season. With Forte’s injury in the latter half of this season, he made sure he was 100% before he returned. He was eventually placed on injured reserve. If the Bears lose Forte, it would set them back considerably. Ideally, the presence of a new GM will make Forte willing to negotiate again.

Does Lovie Smith Stay as Head Coach?

While the Bears have said that Lovie Smith is safe for the time being after firing Angelo, I’m not totally convinced. I’m constantly going back and forth on what I think about Smith and if I want him to stay the Bears coach. Prior to injuries, the Bears were putting together quite a solid campaign, so it’s hard to want to fire a coach because the team couldn’t recuperate from losing its two best players. However, many times a new general manager wants his own coaching staff in place. Whoever the new GM is, he will have to decide if he wants Lovie and company along for the ride.

Johnny Knox’s Back

Following Knox’s horrible injury against the Seattle Seahawks, no one was sure if Knox would play again. While subsequent surgery and news coming from Knox’s camp is that he will be able to, he’ll have to go through a great deal of rehab. After an injury like that, you never know how it will affect the long term development of a player. While Knox may not be the best receiver on the field, he’s been a major part of what passing threat the Bears have had. With no receiver showing much promise in house (other than maybe Earl Bennett), how Knox recovers will be important.

An Aging Defense

Players like Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, and Lance Briggs are tremendous football players. Though, they won’t be around forever. With the exception of a few players, the Bears defense is getting old. Not only has the defense not performed consistently well the last few years, but there doesn’t seem to be much depth behind them. Isreal Idonije and Henry Melton appear to be on the rise, but the linebackers don’t have much behind Urlacher and Briggs. The defensive backs, while not “old,” simply don’t get the job done on a consistent basis. This is something the new GM will have to address.

This certainly isn’t a catch-all list (Mike Martz, Roy Williams, and the offensive line could be added as well), but it begins to show how many questions this Bears team has as it enters the offseason.

Brian is a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, having lived in Illinois his entire life and having followed the NFL throughout.

Sources

Bears Fire Angelo, Smith Safe