5 Cuts That Could Create Cap Space for the Chicago Bears

This Bears team will likely have a good amount of turnover this offseason. General manager Ryan Pace will look to mold a team in his and head coach John Fox's image. 

This likely means quite a few new faces on defense and some veteran cap casualties. As we look ahead, Bleacher Report's Matt Eurich recently previewed the Bears' cap situation and told us they are expected to have a little over $29 million in cap space. 

That certainly is quite a bit of money to play with, but the Bears could still look to clear more. Brandon Marshall, Jay Cutler and Jared Allen are likely safe because of the big guaranteed money owed to them, but these five guys aren't.

Here are five players the Bears could cut this offseason to create cap space.

In 2012, Tim Jennings was one of the league's most productive corners with nine interceptions. In 2013, he tailed off a little but still had a solid year. Last year, however, was absolutely dreadful for Jennings; he failed to register an interception despite starting in all 16 games. 

There's a trend here with the 31-year-old veteran, and he's going the wrong way. With three years left on a $22.4 million deal, it's a good time to think about purging him. 

Jennings is set to make $5.25 million this year. Considering his production has plummeted and he's now a fringe starter, the Bears can't release him but can possibly restructure his contract to save some money. 

Corners have become a devalued commodity in today's NFL. The future is in last year's first-round pick Kyle Fuller. The Bears can likely use the money from Jennings' release to build a better rotation at the position.

One of the last things former general manager Phil Emery did with the Bears was re-sign center Roberto Garza to a one-year deal for 2015. 

Garza is slated to make $1.45 million, which is a slight raise from last year. Given his age and the overall poor play of the offensive line last year, it's probably best that the Bears go in a different direction. 

While Garza is not making a lot of money, it's a smarter decision to invest the dollars into a younger option who has a brighter future. The Bears can find a quality center in the mid-rounds of the NFL draft. 

The New England Patriots just won the Super Bowl with rookie center Bryan Stork, who was drafted in the fourth round. They also control him for four years at just over $2.5 million. That's a move that makes more sense for the Bears than keeping a 35-year-old Garza.

Ryan Mundy was one of the average-at-best players brought in by Phil Emery to help fill two major holes at safety. While Mundy wasn't bad last year, he wasn't very good either, and he certainly is not a long-term answer. 

Mundy has one year left on his deal at $1.45 million. Head coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio like to play an attacking style with disciplined safeties, and Mundy doesn't fit the mold. 

Whether his replacement comes from free agency or the draft, it's likely the Ryan Mundy experiment was a one-and-done. 

This one's tough. You don't want to say goodbye to one of the franchise's most beloved players, but can this team continue to justify the money? 

Gould only got 12 field-goal attempts last year, mostly due to an inept offense and injuries. Still, he made over $2 million and is slated to make $3.6 million in 2015.

Despite being one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, that's still a lot of money to invest in the position. 

Compare that to the always reliable and durable Adam Vinatieri. He's going to make just $2.75 million in 2015 despite hitting 96 percent of his field goals last year. 

Maybe Gould is willing to restructure his deal. If not, then the Bears might have to part ways with the longtime Bears kicker.

There were very few bright spots on the Bears roster last year, but Willie Young was certainly one. He racked up a career-high 10 sacks before tearing his Achilles tendon late in the season. 

Young has two things going against him right now. He has to recover from a devastating injury that will take him at least a year get back to form, and he doesn't really fit in a potential 3-4 scheme. 

The Bears' entire front seven needs to be redone, and while Young was a pleasant surprise last year, it could be his only season in Chicago. The two sides could work out an injury settlement and Young might be looking for a new team. 

All contract info provided courtesy of Spotrac.com unless otherwise stated.