Over the past week, it felt like there was serious momentum between the Chicago Bears and the state of Illinois on legislation that would help the franchise finally begin building its new stadium in Arlington Heights. A recent bill was passed that would help businesses receive funding for economic development, including infrastructure. The only hurdle left to clear was property tax certainty, which could be secured through a new “megaprojects” bill introduced in Springfield some time ago. It looked like it would finally be heard by the legislature on Thursday morning.

Just 24 hours earlier, Abdul Hakim-Shabazz of Indy Politics shared this update on the situation in Indiana.

An announcement is expected Wednesday in the Ways and Means Committee that the Chicago Bears have agreed to relocate to Northwest Indiana, specifically the Hammond area,  Indy Politics has learned.

The anticipated announcement would mark a significant development in the long-running uncertainty surrounding the Bears’ stadium future. The team has spent several years exploring options in Illinois, including proposals involving Chicago’s lakefront and suburban redevelopment sites. No formal agreement has been publicly confirmed to date.

That makes it sound like the talks with Illinois are going nearly as well as J.B. Pritzker made it seem. Sure enough, news has trickled out of Springfield that the hearing meant for the megaprojects bill has been cancelled.

If that weren’t enough, Craig’s Chicago Business had an update of its own, stating that the Bears’ interest in Hammond is very real, though they aren’t yet planning a full commitment.

The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to vote Thursday morning on new language meant to pave the way for a deal for that site to be finalized, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told the Indianapolis Business Journal.

If that language is added to Senate Bill 27, the Bears are expected to make a statement that confirms the team’s interest in the site but will remain short of a full commitment to move, said the source, who requested anonymity to speak about the negotiations.

The Chicago Bears appear to have been jerked around again.

The Illinois government has stopped and started on this issue for three years. Its constant unwillingness to take the Chicago Bears seriously is what eventually pushed them to open talks with Indiana in the first place. Now the neighboring state is offering a remarkably intriguing deal for the organization. Their legislation would enable them to receive infrastructure support and property tax benefits. They’d also be free to choose their preferred site for the stadium and would own it once its debt was fully paid off.

This has become a case of the Bears realizing they’re not wanted in Illinois. Its lawmakers see them as a needless distraction from other issues. Meanwhile, Indiana has made it clear from every possible angle that they want them and are willing to provide all the support necessary to make it happen. Nobody can say the Bears haven’t done everything possible to work with Illinois to find a solution. It hasn’t worked. If this is truly the end, nobody should blame the organization for taking the better deal.

Choosing Hammond always felt the most likely.

Throughout this process, the key for the Bears was simple. They didn’t want to lose access to the massive downtown fanbase. Downtown Chicago is 29 miles away from Hammond. It’s a drive of less than 40 minutes. That is almost the exact same distances as Arlington Heights, just in the opposite direction. From the team’s perspective, they remain close enough to the city while still enjoying the many perks Indiana offers by crossing state lines. It is a pretty sweet deal, even if it makes it harder for fans in the northern suburbs to see the team.

As for Pritzker and his government? It isn’t yet known what caused the talks to fall apart, or whether they might be rescued at the 11th hour. He’s made it clear he would not use taxpayer money to fund what he called a “vanity” project. This last-minute series of talks seemed promising, but something happened that led to the hearing being cancelled. Now, Pritzker stands to become the man who let the Chicago Bears leave the state of Illinois for the first time in over a century.

*******************************Update**************************************

Sure enough, shortly after word of all this emerged, the Bears released a statement regarding the bill’s passing in Indiana. It sure sounds like Hammond will be the new home for the franchise moving forward.

While it isn’t a full commitment, all of the signs are there. Illinois, for whatever reason, balked at something during talks. Indiana has done nothing but forge ahead. The message is clear, and the Bears are finally listening.

********************************UPDATE 2***********************************

The plot twists keep coming. According to Governor Pritzker’s depute chief of staff for communications, the state was ready to push the bill forward. Things were going in that direction. Then, at the last second, the Bears apparently asked to pause the hearing to make some added tweaks to the bill. Then the Indiana statement hit, which caught many by surprise.

This leaves the situation in limbo. The Bears still haven’t fully committed to Indiana despite their recent statement. It seems they are still in talks with Illinois, but this latest situation is beyond puzzling. Did George McCaskey have a sudden change of heart, feeling the Indiana offer was too good to pass up, or is the organization getting a little greedy with their demands from Illinois? Full details are hard to come by, but this latest revelation shows how chaotic everything continues to be.

********************************Update 3************************************

Governor J.B. Pritzker has publicly commented on the situation. He confirmed the Bears asked him and the Illinois government to table the bill, which was done. As for the state of the Hammond situation in Indiana, apparently, the neighboring state asked the Bears to put it out.

Why they would agree to do that is a mystery, especially if they’re so close to an agreement with Illinois on this new bill. The only explanation is that it’s a late-stage leverage play to get some extra things they want added to the legislation. That, or somebody inside Halas Hall is having second thoughts.

When Ben Johnson took over as offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2022, he essentially built on the players already there. He got results immediately, too. D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, and T.J. Hockenson were all meaningful contributors to that team’s 9-8 finish. One would think the coach would’ve preferred to keep the status quo. Instead, the Lions traded both Swift and Hockenson while allowing Williams to walk in free agency. Detroit drafted Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta in the subsequent offseason, putting the personnel more in line with what Johnson wanted.

Some around the NFL are wondering if the same situation is looming for the Chicago Bears this offseason. While the offense finished in the top 10 in both points scored and total yards, there is a belief that Johnson may wish to tweak the personnel more towards his vision. Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team has connections around the league. He explained on his podcast that there is a strong feeling that some notable changes might be coming over the next month. The three names mentioned?

• Swift
• Cole Kmet
• D.J. Moore

Ben Johnson has already proven how high his standards are.

If you don’t perform up to a certain level in his eyes, he’ll go find somebody who will. Many of the reasons behind moving on from those three players are about money. The Bears are over the salary cap. Cutting or trading them would clear up significant space. However, it isn’t just about that. Remember, Johnson already moved off Swift once before in Detroit. It’s possible he just doesn’t see the running back as the best fit for this offense, despite Swift’s excellent overall season.

The ascent of Colston Loveland has made Kmet more of a luxury for the team at his current pay level. Moore saw his production decline considerably this season despite his heroics down the stretch. A simple question must be asked. Would Ben Johnson consider any of those guys irreplaceable? The answer is no. Right now, the one he might be least inclined to move is Kmet, given his value in “12” personnel. Moore and Swift, on the other hand, don’t come across as guys they need to keep.

Johnson may keep changes to a minimum due to limited resources.

It’d be one thing if the Bears had lots of cap space and several high draft choices as the Lions did in 2023. They don’t. Their salary cap is limited and they have a standard stash of picks. Zero extra. That means Coach Johnson won’t be able to make sweeping changes without taking some considerable risks. It is far more likely that he makes a big change at one or two positions at most. If one were to weigh the odds, the most likely candidate is Moore. The Bears have Rome Odunze and Luther Burden on rookie deals. They can serve as the primary two wide receivers. Filling the #3 role wouldn’t be difficult.

His removal from the books alone (presuming a trade) would put the Bears back into the black on cap space. Johnson could survive one more year with Swift, who is a free agent in 2027. There isn’t much logic to cutting Kmet, who is a quality second receiving option at tight end and a quality blocker. If two moves were to be made, smart money says it will be Moore and Swift. They should be the easiest to replace.

DJ Moore had two of the most memorable catches in recent Chicago Bears history this past season. Both were critical to beating the hated Green Bay Packers. So you can understand why fans and teammates love him. Unfortunately, that doesn’t erase reality. Moore had his lowest statistical output since his rookie season last year, and is set to count $28 million against the salary cap in 2026. The Bears are paying him to be the #1 guy, but he hasn’t played at that level for two years.

According to Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron, the team isn’t happy about the money situation. They plan to do something somewhat tricky in the weeks leading up to the start of free agency next month.

“The rumor is that the Bears are going to sit down with DJ Moore and his agent and see if Moore is going to be willing to take a pay cut. If we’re being honest, based on production, he should. But if I were him, I would want every dollar of my extension. The Bears could certainly restructure the deal and convert money to bonus money, but all that’s going to do is kick the guarantees and cap hits further down the road, and the Bears are in a situation where they have to ask if they want to pay Moore this much money when they fully expect Burden and Loveland to be stars.”

Based on recent history, the odds of this happening are low. Moore is 29 and still capable of playing at a high level. There is no way his agent will advise him to take less money. The reply would usually be to get traded elsewhere if the Bears don’t want to pay. In such a situation, the likely outcome is that the team will restructure his deal to lower his 2026 cap hit. The problem is that it just shifts the original issue into the future rather than addressing it now.

The Bears don’t have many ideal options if DJ Moore says no.

They don’t want to restructure the deal because it shifts the cap hits to 2027 and beyond, creating another problem down the line. Cutting him is out of the question since the dead money involved would be astronomical. Even a post-June 1st designation would still leave $27 million on the books. The only other option would be a trade. That would remove $16 million from the cap, but the return wouldn’t be anything special. People inside the league think his current value wouldn’t even net a 6th round pick. It would essentially be nothing more than a salary dump.

It doesn’t sound like the Bears would prefer to do that. Their hope is to keep DJ Moore, but at a slightly more manageable number. Would he take a revised deal, let’s say, of $20 million per year fully guaranteed? That is what Jacobi Meyers is making, and he had a better season than Moore did. If the Bears gave him a revised deal of two years at $40 million fully guaranteed, it would lock him into a great payday while also giving the team an earlier out on his contract after 2027. He’s currently signed through 2029.

This decision will come down to how Chicago views Moore’s future.

That means it will be head coach Ben Johnson’s call. He clearly aimed to get Colston Loveland and Luther Burden more involved down the stretch last season. It was a clear indicator that DJ Moore probably won’t get the same target share he enjoyed the previous two years. That is not to say Johnson hates him. He had plays drawn up for the veteran all season, but this won’t be a case of one receiver getting the majority of passes thrown his way. If that is the state of things, it’s hard to imagine they let that contract linger on their books.

Trading Moore might not be the popular decision in the eyes of fans after what he did to get the Bears to the playoffs. Sadly, it would be the most practical. Trading him would get most of the cap hit off the books and add a draft pick, even if it’s a minor one. They would still have Loveland, Burden, and Rome Odunze for Caleb Williams to throw to. It is a cold business decision, but one teams have to make every year. They can’t let personal feelings cloud what it best for the team.

The Chicago Bears know they need more juice in their pass rush if they’re going to make a push to the Super Bowl. General manager Ryan Poles and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen must work together to find solutions. Dayo Odeyingbo was a poor investment and now has a torn Achilles. Shemar Turner also tore his ACL. Dominique Robinson is a free agent. That leaves only Montez Sweat and Austin Booker. So not only do they lack a genuine star, but also depth. Some wonder whether Allen might reach out to his contacts to bring in an old friend: Cameron Jordan.

The man has carved out a Hall of Fame-caliber career with the New Orleans Saints, collecting 132 sacks in 15 seasons. However, his future is in question as he becomes a free agent next month. The Saints don’t look like a team expected to compete anytime soon. Will Jordan stay anyway, or use what gas is left in the tank to chase the ring that has eluded him? Adam Jahns of CHGO believes there is a good chance Allen will try to recruit the defensive end to Chicago, knowing he can help boost their pass rush.

Cameron Jordan offers multiple reasons to think he can still go.

For one, he’s coming off a season with 10.5 sacks at age 36, so it’s not like being an older player has completely stymied his productivity. Part of that is a remarkable streak of durability. Jordan has only missed one game in his career. So he’s both incredibly tough and takes good care of himself. He’s also known for being outspoken and brash. The guy has an edge that gets under opponents’ skin. Chicago seems to like having guys like that on the roster, as evidenced by C.J. Gardner-Johnson last year.

The only sticking point would be price. Chicago won’t have loads of cap space to throw around. Spotrac places Jordan’s market value at $6.8 million. That means he will likely get around $7-8 million, which should be affordable for the Bears. It’d likely be a one-year deal. This way, if the ageless defensive end does finally fizzle out, the team won’t be on the hook for long-term money. Conversely, if he gives them a year comparable to 2025, their pass rush will be significantly improved.

Signing Jordan would only be the first step.

It would likely coincide with Poles doubling up by taking somebody in the 1st round of the draft. It’s actually a pretty common practice among NFL teams. The tactic has found success. Green Bay executed it to perfection in 2019 with Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, and Rashan Gary. That trio helped the Packers reach back-to-back NFC championships. Jonathan Greenard and Dallas Turner helped Minnesota go 14-3 in 2024. The Bears can utilize this same tactic if they execute it properly.

Cameron Jordan should be able to give them a temporary boost, allowing Allen time to properly break in a rookie without throwing them into the lineup immediately. Or the Bears could use this as an opportunity to find a defensive tackle who can give them more push up front. The possibilities become far more interesting that way. The hard part will be convincing a player who has never worn a uniform for another team to join a different one.

The Chicago Bears have difficult roster decisions to make before the start of the new league year. Much of that stems from them being $10 million over the salary cap. General manager Ryan Poles will have to clear payroll, and often a quick way to do that is to cut players with hefty contracts. One of the names on that list is Tremaine Edmunds. The linebacker has been a solid player for the Bears since signing in 2023, but he’d count $17.43 million against the cap this year and would save the team $15 million if released.

Still, some argue that unloading one of your better players on a side of the ball that was already weak last season seems counterproductive. It would be interesting to hear what people around the NFL think will happen. According to Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron, there isn’t much of a debate. It was nearly unanimous that Edmunds will be gone within the next month as the Bears look to shake up their defensive lineup under coordinator Dennis Allen.

I didn’t find one person who thought Tremaine Edmunds would return this upcoming season. I also got the idea that the Bears wouldn’t mind moving on from TJ Edwards as well, but that it didn’t make much sense financially, and that Edwards, being an off-ball linebacker who is 30 years old and coming off a significant injury, has no trade value. Edwards will most likely be here in 2026 because of what was laid out above, but will almost certainly be gone in 2027.

Tremaine Edmunds is a good player. Not good enough.

He started off the 2025 season red hot, snagging four interceptions in the first 11 games. Then he got injured. After missing five weeks, he returned but never really found his groove again. Opponents had no issue targeting his area in coverage, and he was lukewarm against the run. What adds to this situation is D’Marco Jackson. The Bears signed him as a cheap free agent. In four starts filling in for Edmunds, he had 30 tackles, an interception, and two pass deflections. He was making barely a fraction of the money.

That is likely why the Bears don’t feel too concerned about losing Tremaine Edmunds. While a good player, they feel they can find someone more than adequate to replace him, allocating his money to more premium positions like edge rusher and defensive tackle. It was always felt that Chicago made a mistake signing Edmunds at all. That kind of money shouldn’t go to linebackers unless they’re unquestionable stars. He is not. Another iffy investment from the Matt Eberflus era.

The Bears’ path forward on this seems clear.

Once they cut Edmunds (or somehow find a trade partner), they should look to bring back Jackson, who is a free agent. He’s already proven he can play well in this defense, and Allen trusts him. He won’t be expensive to retain either. From there, the team will likely make linebacker a priority in the NFL draft. With Edmunds gone and T.J. Edwards to follow next year, this must be the time to start investing draft picks in the position. While the 1st round is probably out of the question, the 2nd and 3rd feel like favorable spots to take swings.

Historically, Allen has preferred linebackers with speed and instincts. Names like Harold Perkins Jr. of LSU, C.J. Allen of Georgia, and Anthony Hill Jr. of Texas could be possibilities for the Bears. All fit that profile to some degree. It comes down to who the Bears’ defensive coordinator likes the most. We will find out in two months’ time. As for Edmunds, here is hoping he lands in a good place elsewhere. While he may not have reached the heights many hoped during his time here, he’s been far from the worst investment this team has made.