The Chicago Bears are heading into a pivotal offseason with some tough financial and roster decisions looming - and one name that’s starting to stand out in all the noise is linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Even with the NFL salary cap climbing north of $300 million, the Bears are still operating in the red. That means something has to give.
While early speculation focused on wide receiver D.J. Moore as a potential trade chip, it’s Edmunds who now appears to be the more likely candidate to be on the way out.
And when you look at the situation from all angles - contract, performance, and scheme fit - it starts to make a lot of sense.
Edmunds signed a four-year, $72 million deal with Chicago in 2023, a major investment that signaled how much the previous coaching staff valued his skill set. But that was then.
Fast forward to now, and the linebacker carries a $13.9 million base salary for 2026, with another $1 million in roster bonuses and $100,000 in workout incentives. That’s $15 million in total cash - and $15 million in potential cap relief if the Bears decide to move on.
That kind of savings is hard to ignore, especially when the player in question isn’t quite the same fit under the new regime.
Edmunds was brought in by former head coach Matt Eberflus to be the centerpiece of a different defensive scheme. Now, under Dennis Allen, the requirements at linebacker have shifted.
That’s already been reflected in how the Bears used Edmunds late in the season - moving him out of the middle and into a different role. Early on, it actually worked.
In his first 10 games, Edmunds racked up 83 tackles, a sack, and four interceptions. He was flying around and making plays.
But then came the injury.
After missing a month, Edmunds returned - and the impact just wasn’t the same.
Part of that might be due to what happened in his absence. D’Marco Jackson, a former undrafted free agent who’d mostly been a depth piece until then, stepped into the starting role and played well.
In four starts, Jackson posted 30 tackles, a sack, and a pick. He looked comfortable in the scheme and gave the defense a spark.
Some even argued that the unit lost a bit of its edge once Edmunds returned and Jackson was sent back to the bench.
If the coaching staff saw the same thing - a better scheme fit and more juice with Jackson on the field - then it’s not hard to see why Edmunds’ future in Chicago is suddenly in question.
Letting go of Edmunds would definitely shift the Bears’ offseason priorities. Up until now, the focus has been on rebuilding the defensive line and shoring up the safety group.
But if Edmunds is released and Noah Sewell departs in free agency as expected, linebacker becomes a much more pressing need. That could push the Bears to address the position earlier than anticipated in the draft, or to dive into the free-agent market for a more scheme-friendly solution.
Bottom line: Edmunds is a talented player with rare size and athleticism, but this is a case of timing, fit, and financial reality. The Bears have big decisions to make - and this one might be the first domino to fall.