Danny Trevathan did something that Chicago Bears fans must remember to appreciate. He arrived in 2016 as a free agent and helped revive a defense that had suddenly become one of the worst in the NFL. His leadership and versatility proved vital to the rapid turnaround. By 2017, the Bears were back in the top 10 and in 2018 they were the #1 defense in the entire NFL. That doesn’t happen without Trevathan’s contributions.
Sadly, all good things come to an end. The linebacker’s decline began last season when a nagging knee injury sidelined him for most of the season. Though still effective when healthy, it became unlikely he’d survive both the arrival of a new GM and a new defensive system. Ryan Poles is keen on unloading as many expensive veterans as possible. Now Trevathan becomes the latest of that group.
He was officially cut on Wednesday.
We have made the following roster moves:
▪️ Traded Khalil Mack to the Chargers
▪️ Released Tarik Cohen
▪️ Released Danny Trevathan@Hyundai | #DaBears— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 16, 2022
Trevathan likely wouldn’t have been kept even if he didn’t suffer his injury last season. His age and contract made it difficult for the Bears to justify keeping him. He’s played almost his entire career as a 3-4 inside linebacker. So shifting to a 4-3 at this stage wouldn’t have made much sense. Poles is already in the process of finding replacements. Former Raiders linebacker Nicholas Morrow signed a one-year deal with the team and could start at one of the outside spots.
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It is likely Danny Trevathan was released with a post-June 1st designation. That means the Bears will secure an additional $3.28 million in cap space after that date. More flexibility for them to continue remaking the roster. The move at linebacker aren’t done either. They still need more bodies along with Morrow. Not just to start but also for depth. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they seek options in the upcoming draft. This is said to be a good class for that position.
