The Chicago Bears will have plenty of decisions to make this off-season. While they have a lot of cap space, they could always find a little more if needed. They do have some questionable players who could stick around, but also could be let go, just because Chicago does not trust their status or salary.
Who are the five Chicago Bears we will at least have to watch for when it comes to getting released?
Will Chicago Bears cut Lucas Patrick?
The Chicago Bears could keep Lucas Patrick, but he will be $5.4M against the salary cap. They could release him, and he would still be $1.5 against the cap, but the team would be clearing $3.9 in the process.
That $3.9 is a bit of wiggle room and makes you wonder if the Chicago Bears do explore releasing Patrick. This obviously will come down to what the team knows about him in that room.
Patrick dealt with two injuries this year. One prevented him from snapping and the other ended his season. He was signed to be the center of the future, and he played 10 snaps at center. The injury is a toe, so there should not be long-term effects, but also a toe and thumb killing his season are not what you want to hear.
What makes the decision tougher than just excusing him for getting hurt is that he was awful during his time at guard. Did they see enough in that span to move on? Do they trust his health?
The next question is whether they think $5M is worth it to pay for depth. Maybe Patrick finds his way into the starting lineup, but the Chicago Bears cannot just lock him into a role if they keep him. He has to compete with someone or even be the swing backup. If that depth lineman is reliable, the cost is fine, is that what Lucas Patrick is, or should they swing again on a new name?
Chicago Bears could save a lot by cutting Eddie Jackson
Eddie Jackson will be on the Chicago Bears cap for $17M this season. If they release him, they could save $13.1 with a June 1st release, and $7.5M with a pre-June 1st release. There are two questions with Jackson and the first is about money because that is a lot.
The second is his health. You can say that this is not the front office or coaching staff that bought into Jackson and gave him that contract. Still, Jackson was great this season with the new staff. It was his most productive since 2018, and he was great for the culture as the veteran who led the youth.
The staff knows enough about the culture to keep him, and Ryan Poles knows that while the money would be nice, he has too many holes to create another.
The only question is health. A foot injury is a serious business, even if the team has been optimistic about his progress. You cannot pay a guy $17M to get hurt again. You are creating another hole if you are paying that and you need to start Elijah Hicks next season.
Still, of the players on this list, he feels the safest even though he is the highest paid.
Is Cody Whitehair on borrowed time with Chicago Bears?
With Cody Whitehair, it is starting to feel like it is time to move on. He is going to cost $14M on the cap, which is a pretty penny for a left guard. The team could save $5.8M with a pre-June 1st cut, and $9.9M with a post-June 1st cut.
They probably have the cap space to hold off until June 1st. This is a case of the player not being worth the salary. When he first signed the deal, it was not an issue, but his play has dropped off.
A lot of that has to do with injuries, but that is just another reason to move on. From 2016 through 2019 Whitehair was an ironman. An injury in 2020 started to suck the best out of him.
He kept coming back, kept playing through injuries, and we kept seeing his play diminish. Now he is at the point where you can trust him to start here and there, but you cannot bank on all 16 games from Whitehair. Beyond that, you are just getting average play.
So, an average guard who is likely to get hurt is going to have to get released or take a very serious pay cut. This will create a hole at left guard, but this can be fixed with less than the $9.9M that the team will save by moving on from Whitehair. If he does come back, the salary will look a lot different.
Should Chicago Bears cut Justin Jones?
This may be one that not many are thinking about but is possible. Justin Jones is going to be on the cap for $7.4M and could save the team $4.9. Considering he started and was the best lineman that the Chicago Bears had, that is a fine salary, but that is also the issue.
The Chicago Bears are going to completely rebuild their defensive line. He was starting on an all-time bad group. So, if the team drafts Jalen Carter, and signs Daron Payne, or something like that, Justin Jones immediately goes to depth. Could they add some cheaper depth, and would Jones work as depth?
Even if they add a big name, they are adding a 3-technique first and foremost. Fans think it is easy to just move him to the second defensive tackle, but that is more of a nose tackle role. Justin Jones was helping out on the edge late in the season, so it may be a lot to ask him to fill the nose.
With that in mind, he is almost guaranteed to be a depth backup next season. Is that what he wants, and is that what the Chicago Bears want? We will see, as they could save some money, add a few young depth pieces to back up, and just cut ties from last year.
1. Al-Quadin Muhammad should be cut
Of everyone in this group Al-Quadin Muhammad is the one that fans are nodding and agreeing with the most. the Chicago Bears can keep him, and it would be $4.5M, or they could save him and clear $4 of that.
I am sure most fans want the $4M, even if it is not that much. This is similar to Justin Jones is that he is going to go from a starter to a depth piece no matter what. Muhammad has been used to that role, but when you look at the Bears’ edge rushers, both Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson are signed.
Gipson regressed and is not really a scheme fit, and Robinson is still quite raw. Still, they are both so cheap, and earlier in the season, they were fine when they were just in-depth. So, the Chicago Bears could have both of their secondary rushers on the roster already.
That would leave them to add two big-name starters, which is one of the huge needs. If they add two starters, and Robinson joins Gipson as depth there is no one else that they need. Maybe another late-round pick or UDFA to fill the room, but not Muhammad and his salary.
The only way Muhammad should be back is if they sell Gipson for a late draft pick. It is a small saving, but it could be the $4M that another team can’t spend on a premium edge rusher that pushes them over the top on a splash move.
Some of these names can be tough decisions, but Al-Quadin Muhammad is not.