The Chicago Bears' 2026 offseason looks and feels much different than previous years. In the past, the offseason was the time for debates about their current quarterback, discussions on who their next head coach would be, and who was the best player they could draft in the top ten. In other words, the Bears were in a perpetual rebuild before this year.
In the 2026 offseason, though, the Bears will be moving much, much differently. Instead of prioritizing future picks and finding a new coach, Chicago will be talking about saving cap space, big-name free agents, and fixing immediate issues on their roster.
That's right: the Bears are moving like a contender. After an exciting run to the NFC Divisional Round, the Bears are looking to build off that momentum and be the best team in the conference. It's a welcome change from the usual activity Chicago does this time of the year.
With contention, though, come some hard choices. The Bears' cap space is among the least in the league this offseason. If the Bears want to keep up with the rest of the contenders, they'll need to move some contracts around. Let's look at some of the moves that Chicago must make to clear cap space for the 2026 offseason.
Cutting Tremaine Edmunds
When the Bears signed Tremaine Edmunds back in 2023, they were hoping to get one of the better linebackers in the league. And for a while there, Edmunds was exactly that for Chicago. Humming perfectly in then-head coach Matt Eberflus' defense, Edmunds was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise dark time for the team.
Edmunds continued on that path in 2025, playing at a solid level under Dennis Allen's scheme. However, he was sidelined for about a month after suffering a groin injury in Week 11 of the season. The Bears linebacker returned to the team before the start of the playoffs, but it was clear that Edmunds was hurting and was not at 100%.
Edmunds is a great player and is still relatively young. He also has two more years left on his contract, and he's owed around $16 million. Chicago will save around $15 million by cutting Edmunds. The Bears will need to figure out how to replace Edmunds, but letting him go is a sure-fire way to clear cap space.
Restructure DJ Moore's contract
Oh, DJ Moore. The Bears wide receiver has been a polarizing name for fans ever since he was traded to the team in 2023. An underrated receiving threat for the Carolina Panthers, Moore was brought in to create a solid wide receiver core for then-Bears quarterback Justin Fields. When Caleb Williams was drafted by the team in 2024, expectations soared for Moore.
Moore has, for the most part, become an integral part of the team's offense under Ben Johnson. The wide receiver didn't put up 1,000 yards this season, but no receiver reached over 713 yards this year for the Bears. Still, with Rome Odunze emerging as Williams' favorite option and Luther Burden breaking out as a potential number 2, there's chatter amongst fans about potentially moving on from Moore.
That would be completely ill-advised – even with his occasional effort issues, Moore's ability to stretch the field is incredibly important. Still, the Bears could use some much-needed cap relief. One of The Athletic Bears beat reporter Kevin Fishbain's sources says that restructuring Moore's contract would save around $17.5 million in cap space. That will come with major financial implications down the line. If the Bears are committed to winning now, though, that should be an easy pill to swallow.
Cut Roschon Johnson
This move isn't a flashy move, but it may prove to be necessary. The Bears struck gold last season with their two-headed running back attack with D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monongai. While it's no Sonic and Knuckles like Ben Johnson's last offense with Detroit, Chicago's run game with Swift and Monongai was as exciting as it was effective.
Lost in the sauce, though, is Roschon Johnson. The backup to Swift in prior seasons, Johnson found himself phased out of the lineup as Monongai proved to be more effective. Monongai is also a rookie and on a more team-friendly deal, so Chicago is more likely to choose him.
Dealing Swift or outright cutting him would save more money (around $7 million in cap savings), but the Bears would be hard-pressed to replace him. Ben Johnson likes to have two running backs on the roster, and Swift's cap hit isn't too bad especially considering his production. Cutting Johnson, on the other hand, is an easier decision, and his $1.15 million cap savings might prove to be important for the rest of Chicago's offseason.
