Anybody with a logical mind knew this offseason was going to result in difficult sacrifices by the Chicago Bears. The drop of the 2021 salary cap made that inevitable. GM Ryan Pace can be expected to bring everybody back from last year he wants to. He needed to prioritize. Allen Robinson was franchise tagged. Cairo Santos received a five-year extension Now the Bears are projected to be $18.5 million over the cap. This makes any other moves difficult. Including the status of Cordarrelle Patterson.

On the surface, retaining one of the best special teams players in the NFL feels like a no-brainer. Patterson is not only an All-Pro kick returner, he’s also one of their best gunners on coverage units. To say nothing of his value as a weapon on offense and his leadership in the locker room. Fans love him. Under normal circumstances, keeping him would be an easy decision.

Sadly, there is nothing normal about this offseason.

With the NFL cap dropping to $182.5 million, the Bears will have to battle just to get back under it before the start of the new league year on March 17th. This doesn’t include finding the space to possibly add a new quarterback and other pieces. In such instances, somebody like Patterson would look like a luxury at this point. Based on his latest Twitter posts, it appears he is starting to see the writing on the wall.

Patterson has made it clear since the end of last season he wants to stay in Chicago. He loves it here. Sadly, he’s been caught in the cold vortex of NFL business. The Bears just can’t afford him. Not unless he is willing to return on a significantly reduced salary. Remember he signed a two-year deal in 2019 for $10 million. Would he be willing to return for a fraction of that? That doesn’t seem likely. Not after another All-Pro year.

Cordarrelle Patterson proved to be worth every penny

A lot of people scoffed at Pace when he signed Patterson in 2019 for that kind of money. It didn’t take long for them to realize how solid of a deal that was for Chicago. In two seasons he made All-Pro twice, piled up 2,392 all-purpose yards, and scored two kick return touchdowns. He was also a credible presence on offense as a receiver and running back.

The Bears stand to lose one of their best weapons. A reminder that nothing about this decision is easy. Is it completely set in stone? Not just yet. There may be a way Chicago maneuvers the cap to find a way to keep Cordarrelle Patterson in navy blue. The great irony is it may come down to what they do at quarterback. If they manage to hit it big on somebody, then that won’t leave enough room for him.

What makes it even worse? March 17th is Patterson’s birthday.

So what should be a day of celebration for him could also be the day his Bears career officially ends. That sucks. Here is hoping the two sides find a way to make it work. Patterson is the type of player to keep around. Aside from being really good on the field, he’s just as valuable off it. Few have proven more able to connect with Chicago fans than him. Breaking that bond after just two years would be unfortunate.