The Chicago Bears, fresh off a playoff appearance and armed with a young franchise quarterback, are positioned to execute one of the most dramatic salary cap overhauls in recent NFL memory. A detailed financial analysis reveals the franchise possesses a startling degree of flexibility, with a path to create well over one hundred million dollars in spending power for the 2025 league year. This potential war chest could transform the roster into an immediate Super Bowl contender.
While current public cap figures show the Bears in the red, ranked a concerning 26th in the NFL, this is a deceptive snapshot. The organization holds numerous levers to pull, from straightforward roster cuts to complex contract restructurings and extensions. The first and most impactful category involves difficult decisions on veteran players carrying significant cap charges.
Headlining the list of potential cap casualties is linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. His $17.4 million cap hit for 2025 presents a clear opportunity, as releasing him would free approximately $15 million while incurring a minimal dead money penalty. Edmunds, who battled inconsistency and injury last season, represents the kind of high-cost, replaceable asset that contending teams often move on from to fuel further investments.
Additional savings could be found by parting ways with role players like special teamer Aeneas Ogbongbemiga, fullback Robert Hipsher, and running back Roschon Johnson. While these moves yield smaller individual savings, collectively they add millions in flexibility. Cutting Edmunds and this group of depth players alone would push the Bears from negative cap space into a positive position, all without gutting the core of the roster.
The second and more aggressive avenue is contract restructurings, a tool General Manager Ryan Poles has used sparingly. The philosophy appears to be shifting as the team enters its championship window. Converting base salary into signing bonuses for key veterans can create immediate cap relief by spreading the hit over future years, a common practice for elite teams managing the cap.
Prime candidates for such financial maneuvers form the backbone of the team. Restructuring the contracts of interior offensive linemen Joe Toney, Jonah Jackson, and Drew Dalman, along with defensive back Kyler Gordon, could generate over $25 million in 2025 space. This strategy signals long-term commitment to these players, making it a selective process reserved for those deemed essential to the franchise’s future.
The most consequential decision, however, involves star wide receiver DJ Moore. His $28.5 million cap hit is the largest on the team and presents a binary choice: restructure his deal to lower the 2025 number or explore a trade. A trade would free over $16 million instantly, a tempting proposition given the presence of Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen on the roster. Either path significantly reduces his current charge and adds massively to the available funds.
Finally, proactive contract extensions for current players can also lower immediate cap figures. Tight end Cole Kmet, with an $11.6 million hit, is a prime candidate for a team-friendly extension that could reduce his 2025 number by several million dollars. Securing right tackle Darnell Wright with an early extension, while potentially raising his cap hit slightly this year, would lock down a cornerstone and provide long-term cost certainty.
When these strategies are combined—strategic cuts, targeted restructurings, a resolution on Moore’s deal, and key extensions—the Bears can realistically unlock between $60 and $100 million in functional cap space. This is not mere speculation but a mapped-out financial blueprint. The capital would allow Chicago to be major players for top-tier free agents, execute impactful trades, and seamlessly absorb the eventual mega-extension for quarterback Caleb Williams.
This level of flexibility is rare for a team coming off a ten-win season and a playoff berth. It places General Manager Ryan Poles in an enviable position of power. The Bears are not cap-strapped; they are strategically poised, with the ability to aggressively reshape their roster while maintaining a healthy long-term financial outlook. The coming weeks will reveal just how aggressively the franchise chooses to wield this substantial economic leverage.
