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What's next for Bears?


The Bears took care of plenty of business Tuesday on the first day of the NFL's new league year. But there's still plenty of boxes left on the checklist. Here are four items the Bears must keep as high priorities during free agency.


Keep the mo' rolling: Yes, the Bears will present two new defensive starters at a news conference Wednesday at Halas Hall, introducing defensive end Lamarr Houston and safety Ryan Mundy.


But both the defensive line and secondary still are startlingly low on quality depth. That was a huge problem in 2013 when key injuries popped up. So even with a couple of splash signings to boast, general manager Phil Emery has much more to do on defense.


And the returns of Charles Tillman and Henry Melton remain iffy.


Stabilize the secondary: At present, here's the list of Bears cornerbacks under contract for 2014: Tim Jennings, Isaiah Frey, Kelvin Hayden, C.J. Wilson, Demontre Hurst and Derricus Purdy.


The Bears desperately need to find another starting-caliber corner. They could elect to wait until May's draft to do so. But they certainly still will be browsing the free agency shelves for value.


Sort through backup quarterback options: If Josh McCown moves on - and he has visits scheduled with the Buccaneers, Texans and Jets - the Bears likely will continue to explore the open market for an experienced backup.


Quarterbacks still out there include Kellen Clemens, Derek Anderson and Shaun Hill.


Jordan Palmer signed a one-year deal with the Bears over the weekend but, with his 30th birthday nearing, he has only 10 NFL appearances and zero starts on his resume.


Keep an eye on special teams: Devin Hester has left the building, leaving an opening for a return specialist. Also, don't be surprised if the Bears continue negotiations to bring back a handful of significant special teams contributors with whom they are familiar, including long snapper Patrick Mannelly, cornerbacks Zack Bowman and Sherrick McManis and safety Craig Steltz.


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