The Chicago Bears are gearing up for an important offseason where they’ll look to shore up the roster as they look to return to the playoffs in Ben Johnson’s second season. But there’s plenty of work to be done.
One of the most important things for general manager Ryan Poles this offseason is resolving the salary cap, where the Bears are currently protected to be $4 million over the 2026 cap (to be announced). But it’s not an impossible situation for Poles, as contract restructures and potential cuts can shore things up.
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Looking at Chicago’s projected salary cap hits, a few things stand out. There are five players with a cap hit over $20 million and eight above $17 million. But quarterback Caleb Williams isn’t among the top 10 or even the top 12, which gives Poles plenty of leeway in the next couple of years.
There could very well be some potential cap casualties, where linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and tight end Cole Kmet are among the possibilities, and maybe even trade candidates, like Kmet and DJ Moore. But Poles can free up a good portion of cap space by restructuring a fair amount of deals.
Bears’ biggest salary cap hits in 2026
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WR DJ Moore: $28.5 million
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DE Montez Sweat: $25.08 million
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CB Jaylon Johnson: $24.5 million
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LG Joe Thuney: $21.5 million
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DE Dayo Odeyingbo: $20.5 million
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RG Jonah Jackson: $19.5 million
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DT Grady Jarrett: $18.92 million
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LB Tremaine Edmunds: $17.43 million
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C Drew Dalman: $14 million
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CB Kyler Gordon: $12.91 million
How much salary cap space do the Bears have in 2026?
According to Over The Cap, the Bears are slated to be roughly $4.3 million over the salary cap for the 2026 season, which is the 12th worst in the NFL. But there’s plenty of work that GM Ryan Poles can do in terms of contract restructures and potential cuts to free up cap space.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears roster: Chicago’s biggest salary cap hits in 2026
