The Chicago Bears did great work getting out of the basement in 2025 and becoming relevant again. However, the hardest part is still to come. How do they stay competitive in 2026 in the NFL’s toughest division? It starts with sorting out the salary cap. They’re currently projected in the red ahead of the upcoming offseason. GM Ryan Poles must work to free up enough space both to get under the cap and also find money to spend. One of the biggest decisions is determining the fate of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune seems to think there is a strong likelihood the team will decide to move on from him.
Edmunds and Swift are the two players on the list entering the final year of their contracts. Going off the cuff, five days after the season ended, Edmunds looks like someone who could be caught in a jam. Releasing him would clear $15 million in cap space.
This shouldn’t be a huge surprise. Edmunds has not been what you might call irreplaceable. He started off red hot, snagging four interceptions early this year. However, an injury sidelined him for a month. When he returned, he wasn’t quite the same player. Considering the hefty contract he carries, it feels like the Bears could get the same level of play for a lot less money.
Tremaine Edmunds is not essential to the future.
This is not to say he’s a bad player. The linebacker has put together stretches of some truly impressive play. He is also an unquestioned leader. The problem is he hasn’t played at a high enough level consistently enough to warrant hanging onto that contract. Chicago got great production from D’Marco Jackson when Edmunds was out. Bringing him back would be significantly cheaper, and they could shift T.J. Edwards back to his natural spot at outside linebacker. The fact that such a solution makes it seem plausible the defense will be fine says everything you need to know.
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Remember, Tremaine Edmunds is a holdover from the Matt Eberflus era. Dennis Allen likely has a different vision for how he wants that roster constructed. Committing so much money to the linebacker position doesn’t seem like an approach the Bears defensive coordinator will champion. Maybe the team will find other ways to get the money they need, but right now it sure feels like Edmunds played his last season in a Bears uniform.
