Four moves the Chicago Bears must make if team trades for Carson Wentz
The Chicago Bears will need to make these cuts and restructure some salaries
Let’s look at how a Chicago Bears trade for Carson Wentz will affect the salary cap. First, the Eagles should not be receiving a first-round pick for Wentz mainly because of their salary cap situation. Right now, the team is projected to have the second-worst salary cap situation in the NFL heading into 2021. If the salary cap holds at the rumored $190-$195 million in 2021, the Eagles are projected to be -$40 to -$45 million in salary-cap space.
Moving Wentz just makes this worse. The team is currently on the hook for $34.6 million if they keep Carson Wentz. However, moving him does not help them financially. His dead cap hit in 2021 is $59.2 million. Now, the team trading for Wentz will take on his base salary and roster bonus ($25.4 million). That still leaves the Eagles on the hook for $33.8 million in dead cap for Wentz in 2021.
Now, add in that if the Chicago Bears are the front-runner in making this deal and Nick Foles is going back to Philadelphia, the Eagles are now taking on Foles’ $4 million in base salary. This now puts the Eagles at -$44 to -$49 million in salary-cap space heading into 2021. It will be tough to make that work, but it can be done. What does not makes sense though is the Eagles getting an additional offensive player from the Chicago Bears in the deal.
That’s the Eagles’ problem to figure out though. Let’s look at the Chicago Bears situation. Right now, the team is essentially projected to be at $0 in salary cap space in 2021. However, the team will need to take on the rest of Carson Wentz’s salary of $25.4 million. This is where the first move(s) need to happen.
The Chicago Bears will need to make room by either restructuring the likes of Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson or Robert Quinn’s contracts. A contract extension with a restructure of Kyle Fuller’s contract could also help. However, some easy cuts must take place.
The Chicago Bears must cut the following to help make room for Carson Wentz:
- Bobby Massie, OT
- Buster Skrine, CB
- Anthony Miller, WR
- Jimmy Graham, TE
I would like to keep Jimmy Graham but cutting him saves $7 million this season. Unless he takes less money, I do not see how he sticks around. The hope is Cole Kmet continues to ascend and losing Graham hurts less. Cutting these four gives the Chicago Bears $17 million in cap room. Restructuring Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn’s contracts give them enough money to cover Carson Wentz’s salary of $25.4 million and leaves them with $11.5 million to play with.