There are plenty of talking points for this 2025 Chicago Bears team. Whether we're talking about Ben Johnson in his first year, the second year leap we're hoping to see from Caleb Williams or even the defensive additions made via free agency, there is no shortage of storylines.
But, one storyline that hasn't been talked about too much is the fact that there is a massive amount of pressure on veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds in his third season with the Bears.
Why so much pressure on Edmunds? To put it simply: he hasn't lived up to the contract.
Tremaine Edmunds has more to prove in 2025 than ever before
A recent graphic brought the idea of Edmunds needing to prove himself to the surface as it showed the Bears currently have the third-most expensive defense in the NFL at $144 million committed. Of that, Edmunds' 2025 cap hit is $17.4 million.
When the Bears originally signed Edmunds to that 4-year, $72 million contract two years ago, he was coming off of arguably the best season of his career, but it was also a season that now looks like an anomaly.
Take his Pro Football Focus grade for coverage in his last season with the Buffalo Bills. It was a whopping 88.1. However, just the season prior, that same grade checked in at an abysmal 37.5 (and 44.4 the year prior).
He was known as one of the best coverage linebackers in football with a mediocre skill set against the run. The Bears signed him to be a menace in coverage, but his PFF grades these past two years have revealed otherwise (58.3 and 56.3).
In 2023, he allowed over 78 percent completion to opposing quarterbacks and gave up three touchdowns. Last season, he allowed just shy of 10 yards per completion to opposing quarterbacks.
Forget his mediocre performance against the run and sporadic forgetfulness on how to tackle (mostly showing up on his 2023 tape). His inability to live up to why the Bears signed him in the first place puts an enormous amount of pressure on his back.
What's more, Edmunds' contract allows the Bears to cut him next year and save $15 million in the process.
It's no secret TJ Edwards has been the better linebacker of the two 2023 free agent signings (and it's not close). Edmunds has his work cut out for him this season, or he'll be off the roster next year.