D’Andre Swift got the long-term security he wanted, but the Bears also did plenty of protecting themselves when they locked him up.
Chicago signed Swift to a three-year, $33.75 million extension before the season, a deal that initially read like a major commitment to a back entering the final year of his contract. But once the numbers came into focus, the contract looked a lot less like a huge gamble from the Bears and a lot more like a carefully structured bet.
Only $19.19 million is guaranteed, which means the extension functions much more like a one-year, $12.5 million deal with team options baked into the final two seasons. Swift will count $12.5 million against the cap, and $11.8 million of that is guaranteed salary. The remaining money comes through per-game and workout bonuses, and because of the guaranteed salary, he will likely hit those marks.
That structure matters. If Swift plays well and reaches free agency, the market may not look all that different from what Chicago is already paying. Travis Etienne signed for $12 million per year this offseason, so Swift would not be leaving a massive amount of money on the table if he had a strong season and tried his luck elsewhere.
The Bears also gave themselves an escape hatch later on. Swift has $4 million in signing bonus money after the first year.
If Chicago moves on after the 2027 season, it would absorb $4 million in dead cap but clear $8.5 million in 2028. If the team keeps him through 2028 and then releases him in 2029, the dead cap drops to $2 million, while the Bears save $9.75 million.
For Swift, the deal gives him a chance to bet on himself and cash in across all three years if he stays productive. For the Bears, it offers protection if age, injury, or a dip in performance show up down the road.
Chicago does not have a clear replacement plan for 2027, and the team remains high on Swift. That helps explain why it made sense to secure him beyond this season. The longer term makes the contract look stronger on paper and gives Swift the feeling that he is being taken care of.
In the end, though, the structure tells the real story: this is a team-friendly deal, and it is not much more than a one-year extension at market value.
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