49ers free agency: 3 teams that could steal away Trent Williams
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: Bears need to have an aggressive offseason and could grab Trent Williams
After their offensive flamed out the last two years with quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who’ll be let go for the free-agent market, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy need to make some big-time splashes to save their jobs in 2021.
But cap space will be a massive issue for Chicago.
At the end of March 15, Over the Cap listed the Bears as being $20.3 million over the $182.5 million salary cap. While some roster jockeying, restructures and cap casualties can free up space, along with the likely pursuit of a rookie quarterback in the NFL Draft, it’s still hard to envision the Bears being in a position where they can go after Trent Williams.
Yet that’s not what the reports are saying.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported the following:
"The Chicago Bears are up against the salary cap, but that has not prevented them from at least checking out the player at the top of the market on the offensive line. Multiple NFL sources tell the Tribune that the Bears have at least inquired about what it will take to sign left tackle Trent Williams, who some believed was the No. 1 free agent entering the negotiating window, which opened at 11 a.m. The Bears would need to do heavy lifting in order to create space to sign Williams, who turns 33 in July."
Again, the Bears’ cap issues likely don’t work against the 49ers’ own interests here. But if Pace and Nagy want to get desperate (they should) while Chicago is facing an offensive makeover, figuring out a way to go all in on Williams would be a smart way to do it.