3 Bears who won't be back next season and why

The Chicago Bears ended their season on Sunday with a 24-22 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. That victory ended a 10-game losing streak overall and an 11-game skid against Green Bay, but as good as it felt to see Cairo Santos' 51-yard field goal sail through the uprights with no time remaining, the important work for the Bears begins now.

Chicago ended the season 5-12 with the playoffs nowhere in sight, so while other teams will be readying up for the Wild Card Round, the Bears are hoping to hit the offseason running. General manager Ryan Poles has already reached out to about a dozen potential head coaching candidates to fill the spot vacated by Matt Eberflus, but beyond finding the right man to lead this team, Poles will also be charged with improving this roster.

Coaching can only explain so much of why the Bears fell so far short of projections this year, and though there is talent on this team, a lot of work remains to be able to compete with the Lions, Vikings and Packers, who combined to go 40-11 this year.

Of course, if all a GM had to do was keep adding talent, the job would be easy, but Poles will have to work within the confines of the salary cap, which means that some players may be let go not for lack of skill or value, but because the numbers just don't work. One thing is for sure: next year's Bears will look very different from this year's version.

Which players won't be back and why? That's a question Poles will be tackling in earnest soon, but the answer won't totally be in his control. Some players will be cut, some may be traded, and some could leave on their own for greener pastures elsewhere. In any case, let's look at three Bears that we don't think will be back in navy and orange next season.

Teven Jenkins

If you asked Bears fans to make their list of "Most frustrating Bears" over the years, Teven Jenkins would appear more often than not, through no fault of his own.

Jenkins has been a good player for the Bears since they drafted him in the second round of the 2021 draft, but as the old saying goes, "The best ability is availability." Jenkins has had a hard time staying on the field, but with the way guards are being paid around the league, he should still receive a sizeable payday somewhere. It's just looking increasingly unlikely that it'll be from the Bears.

Jenkins told reporters on Monday that it was a toss-up on whether he'd end up re-signing with the Bears, and that it was 50-50 whether he wanted to stay or go. That doesn't sound like the words of a player that plans on coming back.

If it comes down to how much he's able to get paid, the Bears shouldn't get in a bidding war with another offensive line-needy team. Jenkins played 14 games this year, the most of his career, but in four years he's missed 23 games. Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times this year, the most in the NFL and tied for the third-most in history. The O-line was beset by injuries all year, so committing big money to a player that hasn't shown the consistent ability to be on the field just doesn't seem like a wise move.

Keenan Allen

Poles traded a fourth-round pick for Keenan Allen this past offseason in the hopes of juicing up the Bears' passing attack with Caleb Williams coming aboard via the draft. Allen didn't match the All-Star level that he consistently put forth as a Charger, but he did finish second on the team in catches, targets and yards, and he led the team with seven touchdowns.

Allen only had one year left on his deal when Poles traded for him, which makes him an unrestricted free agent. By time next season rolls around, he'll be 33. Do the Bears want to commit precious resources to an aging receiver when they have Rome Odunze waiting in the wings?

To Bears fans that have grown used to shoddy receiver play over the years, Allen's numbers were solid, but he didn't fare as well when measured by the eye test. He committed several killer drops, and with few exceptions, he lacked the burst to make big plays down the field. His yards per target, yards per game and catch percentage were all the lowest of his career.

Allen said after the game on Sunday that the three teams he'd consider signing with this offseason are the Bears, Chargers and Rams. If he's willing to take a team-friendly deal and play the slot behind Odunze, the Bears should consider bringing him back. Otherwise, in the words of Tom Petty, it's time to move on.

Larry Borom

The Bears desperately need to improve their offensive line this season, an issue that may be surpassed only by the need to find the right head coach. The running game was decidedly mediocre, and we've already gone over how Caleb Williams took a historic beating in the passing game.

While Teven Jenkins may be gone because of his injury history, contract demands, or his own personal choice, Larry Borom, who is also now a free agent, is going to be let go simply because he just hasn't done a good job when he's had the opportunity to play.

Bears starting left tackle Braxton Jones missed five games with a variety of ailments that included a sprained ankle, a concussion and a season-ending broken leg. Outside of one disastrous start by fifth-round rookie Kiran Amegadjie, Borom got most of the work in replacing him, and it didn't go well.

Amegadjie had a brutal night when he got his chance, but he was hurt to begin the year and couldn't have been reasonably counted on to contribute. Things should get better for him moving forward. Borom has had four years to show what he can do, and it just hasn't been enough.

According to Pro Football Focus, Borom gave up seven sacks this year, which ranks him 127th out of 141 eligible tackles, but he managed to do that in only 329 snaps, which is less than half the times Caleb Williams faded back to pass. Josh Allen of the Bills was sacked 14 times total all year, and if Borom played the entire season, he would have given up more than that by himself.

The Bears have the cap space to commit serious money to the offensive line this offseason. They also have a top-10 pick that could very well go to an offensive lineman. Not only does Poles need to improve the starters up front, he needs to improve the line's depth, which is why Borom won't be back.