Bears Offseason Won't Be a Total Failure if They Can Sign Pro Bowler Kelechi Osemele

The Chicago Bears went 12-4 in 2018, and an early playoff exit was blamed on the infamous "double-doink" from kicker Cody Parkey in the Wild Card round, covering for many of their downward trends, as missed kicks often do.

Parkey was out in 2019, and it was time for the Bears to make back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2005-2006. Right?

The team instead went 8-8, and has not done much to improve this offseason. Robert Quinn was Chicago's biggest free-agent signing, and their most notable move was acquiring Nick Foles. There are now even more questions at quarterback than there were a year ago, and GM Ryan Pace needs to do something to salvage this offseason. Adding offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele would help Pace get back on track.

Osemele is a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro who spent a weird 2019 season with the New York Jets. He had an injury that required surgery, but the team did not approve the procedure. That led to the lineman not speaking to Adam Gase and ultimately being released in October.

The veteran lineman would receive better treatment with a Bears team that could use the upgrade at guard. The entire Chicago offensive line was ranked No. 25 overall in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, and will be without Kyle Long in 2020 after he retired this offseason. That itself was a huge blow, considering he was the team's 2013 first-round pick.

Mitchell Trubisky took 38 sacks in 2019, and was visibly hurried throughout the year. He is now in a competition Nick Foles, and adding a former All-Pro like Osemele would finally show a commitment to protecting whoever lines up at quarterback, instead of blaming him for every problem with the offense.

The tricky part for Pace and the Bears is structuring Osemele's contract in a way that works. The team has less than $1 million in cap space and would need to get creative, or just cut a few players with low dead cap numbers. One potential cut is Allen Robinson, who is making $15 million, with a dead cap figure of just $4 million. Yet no matter what it takes, Bears fans should be able to accept any move that improves the offensive line. Another bad year from the unit will derail the offense's chances of having any sort of success.