5 things to know about Chicago Bears new OL Alex Leatherwood

1. What are Chicago Bears on the hook for with Alex Leatherwood’s contract?

The one big reason why no team wanted to claim Leatherwood was his contract. Because he was a first-round pick, any team claiming him on waivers was subject to take on his first-round contract.

However, because the Raiders gave him such a big signing bonus, the final numbers are not quite as daunting as they first appeared.

He is guaranteed nearly $6M over the next three seasons. The fact that this is guaranteed matters, but this is not a lot of money over a three-year span when looking at the NFL salary cap.

This season he is only on the books for $1.3M, then just shy of $2M the following year. In 2024, they will be on the hook for his whole $2.6M, even if he flames out. Still, the team is eating more dead money for Andy Dalton right now than they ever would for Alex Leatherwood.

When you break down the contract, it really is not that bad. Beyond that, it ensures they have him for three years. Sure, it is guaranteed if he fails, it is also three full seasons of a bargain if he succeeds. That is a good way to look at it.