2022 Offseason Team Needs: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

February 16, 2022

Thanks for checking out our 2022 Offseason Team Needs previews. Consider this a primer for the goals each team has to accomplish this offseason and the resources they have to work with.

A couple of notes. Cap space projections are from Over The Cap and based on a salary cap of $208.2 million, which is the ceiling for this year. It’s also using OTC’s effective cap space, which takes into account what teams have to budget to sign their rookies and fill out the offseason 51-man roster.

Compensatory picks are also from OTC’s projections, which are historically the most accurate in the industry. Their methodology is outlined here. The comp picks from minority hires the past two offseasons are also included.

With that, let’s get into it:

Bears

Projected Cap Space: $24,921,428

Draft Picks: 5

2nd (No. 39)
3rd (No. 71)
5th (No. 147, from HOU)
5th (No. 149)
6th (No. 184)

Notable Free Agents: WR Allen Robinson, DT Akiem Hicks, QB Andy Dalton, OL James Daniels, DL Bilal Nichols, TE Jimmy Graham, OL Germain Ifedi, S Tashaun Gipson, WR Jakeem Grant, OL Elijah Wilkinson, LB Alec Ogletree, TE Jesse James, OT Jason Peters, LB Christian Jones, S Deon Bush

Biggest Needs:

Offensive Line

Priority No. 1 for Chicago has to be building around Justin Fields. The first step is upgrading his protection, especially because Fields tends to be a passer who likes to hold the ball a little longer. The Bears have two rookie tackles in Teven Jenkins (2nd round) and Larry Borom (5th) they like as long-term building blocks — at least the previous regime liked them. Some veteran insurance would probably be good.

They’re set to lose Daniels at guard and if they don’t bring him back, that’s a need as well. They’ve shuttled Cody Whitehair around so much but there’s an argument for moving him back to center and finding another starting guard. If not, center is an area that could use an upgrade as well.

Wide Receiver

Robinson is as good as gone. You can debate whether or not the speedy Darnell Mooney, who broke out in 2021 with over 1,000 yards receiving, has the potential to be a No. 1 receiver, but either way the Bears need more help.

It’s supposed to be a good year to need a receiver with a lot of options in the draft and free agency. Would the Bears trade up to reunite Fields with one of his former Ohio State pass catchers, Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave? It’s probably asking too much for one of them to slip to Chicago’s first pick at No. 39.

Defensive Line

I think there could be a lot of turnover in this area for the Bears. Hicks and Nichols are on expiring deals, new HC Matt Eberflus and DC Alan Williams are switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 and there are some potential cap casualties in this position group with Eddie Goldman and Angelo Blackson. The Bears as a whole are getting older on the defense, and as the new regime looks to put their stamp on the team, it’s a good bet that they start with the lines on either side of the ball.

First, the Bears need to revamp defensive tackle to suit Eberflus’ scheme, which relied on sturdy nose tackle Grover Stewart and dominant three-tech DeForest Buckner in Indianapolis. Chicago can get cheaper at nose tackle and look to find a Buckner for Eberflus.

At defensive end, it doesn’t seem feasible for the Bears to move on from Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn this offseason. Both are still productive even if overpaid. They can start to draft some youth behind them, though. Eberflus likes to rely on a rotation anyway. My guess is they also prioritize the front before looking at the secondary, which could also use some help.

Lions

Projected Cap Space: $10,969,177

Draft Picks: 10

1st (No. 2)
1st (No. 32, from LAR)
2nd (No. 34
3rd (No. 66)
3rd (No. 97, comp)
5th (No. 176, comp)
6th (No. 179)
6th (No. 218, comp)
7th (No. 232, from CLE)
7th (No. 240, from NE)

Notable Free Agents: S Tracy Walker, OLB Charles Harris, LB Alex Anzalone, LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, WR Josh Reynolds, OT Tyrell Crosby, DT Nick Williams, WR Kalif Raymond, S Dean Marlowe

Biggest Needs:

Wide Receiver

The Lions look like they found a starting slot receiver in the fourth round last year with Amon-Ra St. Brown, who ended the season on a tear. Given the circumstances, there were flashes from Reynolds, Raymond and others like Quintez Cephus.

But Detroit needs to not fool itself. Relying on those players as anything more than good depth, at this point, would be a mistake. They probably need two more players at this position group, though, including a high draft pick and perhaps a free agent.

Realistically though, the Lions need help in a lot of places, so some needs might have to wait.

Secondary

Similar to wide receiver, there were a bunch of players in Detroit’s secondary who punched above their weight class in 2021. The trick for the Lions will be figuring out who can sustain that into year-to-year consistency as a starter.

At safety, they seem to think highly of Walker and should have a decent chance at re-signing him. If they can land another starting safety to push Will Harris into a depth/flex role, that would probably be ideal.

At corner, it’s hard to count on former top pick Jeff Okudah for anything at this point after an awful rookie year and a torn Achilles in 2021. Amani Oruwariye had six picks in 2021 but he probably profiles as more of a No. 2 corner at best right now. 2021 third-rounder Ifeatu Melifonwu has a ton of potential but is unproven. Detroit got more than expected out of undrafted rookies Jerry Jacobs and A.J. Parker, but was that fool’s gold? There’s a lot of potential here but the Lions need production and could easily justify making a couple of additions here.

Edge Rusher

It’s clear the Lions are in a multi-season rebuild at this point and shouldn’t stretch for a quarterback if there’s not one they like. That doesn’t seem to be the case at No. 2 overall and quarterbacks taken in the late first/early second tend to have even more of a spotty track record.

There’s a good chance an edge rusher will be the best value at the Lions’ pick early in the draft and it’s a spot where the team could actually use a boost. Harris is a pending free agent, but is better as a rotational rusher anyway. They’ll get Romeo Okwara back but will likely lose Trey Flowers as a cap casualty. Going into 2022 with book-end rushers of Okwara plus Aidan Hutchinson/Kayvon Thibodeaux with Harris and Julian Okwara coming off the bench isn’t too shabby.

Packers

Projected Cap Space: ($53,946,135)

Draft Picks: 9

1st (No. 28)
2nd (No. 59)
3rd (No. 92)
4th (No. 130)
4th (No. 139, comp)
5th (No. 170)
7th (No. 226, from CHI)
7th (No. 247)
7th (No. 258, comp)

Notable Free Agents: WR Davante Adams, LB De’Vondre Campbell, TE Robert Tonyan, CB Rasul Douglas, CB Kevin King, OLB Whitney Mercilus, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, OL Lucas Patrick, DL Tyler Lancaster, WR Allen Lazard (RFA), CB Chandon Sullivan, OT Dennis Kelly, P Corey Bojorquez

Biggest Needs:

Edge Rusher

One of the compromises the Packers might have to make this offseason to balance their books is at edge rusher. The Smith Bros, Za’Darius and Preston, both are potential cap casualties and cutting both would free up more than $25 million of much-needed space.

Last year they were able to work out a salary cut to keep Preston Smith but he has more leverage after a better season in 2021. Za’Darius Smith is coming off of a back injury so the Packers might be able to work something out to keep him if he really wants to stay in Green Bay. He could choose to test the market and probably do just fine.

Regardless, the Packers do need to get younger and cheaper at edge rusher. The goal should be finding a long-term complement to Rashan Gary after his breakout 2021 season. Fortunately, it’s a solid class for edge rushers and there should be some intriguing options for Green Bay even late in the first round.

Wide Receiver

This might actually be the year the Packers have to address wide receiver. Green Bay’s offense is focused around the run, which has factored into their approach in recent years. Still, it’s clear they have a need. In the playoff loss to the 49ers, receivers not named Adams accounted for just one catch for six yards. The Packers also have a host of pending free agents at the position with Randall Cobb also a potential cap casualty.

The Packers will tag Adams and tender Lazard. Cobb could perhaps be back on a pay cut. Valdes-Scantling is a sneaky candidate to cash in with a surprisingly large deal this offseason given his combo of size and speed, so they’ll need a deep threat to replace him. They love what Lazard brings as a blocker but they could find someone more dynamic as a receiver. And while they drafted Amari Rodgers in the third round last year as a potential Deebo Samuel-style weapon in the slot and backfield, he looked out of his depth as a rookie.

Defensive Line

Lancaster is a pending free agent and Dean Lowry is a potential cap casualty. That opens up two potential starting spots that need to be filled. This is potentially a chance for Green Bay to land some more dynamic options as well.

That said, it’s worth mentioning there are a number of other positions that could be listed here. Linebacker becomes a bigger priority if the Packers can’t retain Campbell after an All-Pro season. There are questions at tight end with Tonyan a free agent coming off a torn ACL. And the offensive line is also a sneaky need that could become a problem point quickly if the Packers don’t stay ahead of things with some doubts at both tackle spots given David Bakhtiari‘s knee and Billy Turner‘s contract.

Vikings

Projected Cap Space: ($19,655,213)

Draft Picks: 8

1st (No. 12)
2nd (No. 46)
3rd (No. 77)
5th (No. 155, from BAL)
6th (No. 182, from NYJ)
6th (No. 190)
6th (No. 207, from KC)
7th (No. 230, from DEN)

Notable Free Agents: LB Anthony Barr, CB Patrick Peterson, TE Tyler Conklin, DT Sheldon Richardson, CB Mackensie Alexander, S Xavier Woods, OL Mason Cole, OL Dakota Dozier, LB Nick Vigil, DE Everson Griffen, WR Dede Westbrook, OT Rashod Hill, K Greg Joseph (RFA), P Jordan Berry

Biggest Needs:

Cornerback

Minnesota’s secondary got torched regularly in 2021 as the Vikings gave up the fifth-most passing yards in the league. So there would have been room to upgrade even if Peterson and Alexander weren’t hitting the market. Minnesota has spent a number of draft picks on cornerbacks in recent years but it’s another good class and their cap space is limited, so they might have no choice but to go that way again.

Interior OL

The Vikings might have finally solved their tackle issues between the duo of RT Brian O’Neill and 2021 first-round LT Christian Darrisaw. The inside of the line is more up in the air.

Minnesota will probably decline C Garrett Bradbury’s fifth-year option and Cole is a pending free agent. Ezra Cleveland looks like a keeper at left guard, but 2021 third-round G Wyatt Davis wasn’t able to get on the field as a rookie. Neither Oli Udoh nor Dozier were players the Vikings wanted to rely on, so that’s not encouraging for Davis.

Minnesota could look to add a center and cross-train him at guard for a season, then move him inside to take over for Bradbury. They could also re-sign Cole for that role. He should be fairly affordable and he flexed back and forth between center and guard in 2021.

Defensive End

Vikings DE Danielle Hunter isn’t a pending free agent but the Vikings do have a big decision coming up this offseason regarding his contract. He’s due an $18 million roster bonus that was given as a part of a reworked deal that was a compromise between him and the previous front office. The plan was to either extend him and spread the hit or to move on. It’s not clear how new GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will proceed.

If the Vikings end up keeping Hunter, which would make sense given how productive he was before his injury in 2021, they’ll still need to add help at the other defensive end position that was manned by D.J. Wonnum and Griffen. Minnesota maintained they wanted the 34-year-old Griffen to be a rotational rusher but he ended up playing full-time snaps before getting hurt because of their lack of depth.