After he had a strong offseason, the Chicago Bears made their feelings about running back D'Andre Swift absolutely clear with an agreement to a three-year, $33.75 million contract extension. The deal includes a reported $27.5 million in guaranteed money.
Swift instantly rewarded that investment with a three-touchdown game in Week 1. While he is nearing the end of the generally accepted prime years for a running back, at 27 years old, in tandem with Kyle Monangai, a contract extension that goes through his age-30 season doesn't look like a looming albatross.
Of course, as always, the details of Swift's contract extension would ultimately tell the story.
According to Spotrac, Swift's deal has a total of $26.9 million in guaranteed money. $19.19 million of that comes via an $8 million signing bonus and his 2026 and 2027 base salaries ($1.39 million and $9.8 million, respectively). $7.71 million of his $9.7 million 2028 base salary is guaranteed for injury, with how or when that will vest to a full guarantee unknown/to be determined.
The difference between Spotrac's numbers and the reported guaranteed money total is covered by a $500,000 roster bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus this year. Swift will also earn $30,000 for each game he is active this season and next ($510,000 total each year).
Over the Cap, albeit with a slight difference in some numbers, added that most of that guaranteed money is new money for Swift. The $8 million signing bonus and the $9.8 million 2027 base salary was money he did not have coming to him before, as he was entering the final year of his original contract with the Bears.
D'Andre Swift contract is a master class from the Bears' front office
Whatever small differences in numbers there are, Spotrac and Over The Cap have one thing clear. Swift's three-year extension is truly a one-year extension, with a palatable out in 2028.
In 2028, per Over The Cap, the Bears can cut Swift with just a $4 million dead money hit while clearing $8.5 million in cap space. When that aforementioned majority of his 2028 salary vests to a full guarantee is an important layer of the equation, but OTC makes no mention of it at all.
It was easy to assume the new three-year deal for Swift would prove to be a firm two-year commitment, with an easy out in 2029 as he turned 30. But it's not even that; it's essentially a one-year extension with two team options.
The Bears showed Swift how much they valued him with a big chunk of new money. They also protected themselves from possibly being stuck on the wrong side of a running back's age curve, with only a one-year commitment and decisions to make afterward.
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It's worth wondering why Swift would sign such a team-friendly deal. But that new money is notable and hard to turn down for a running back his age. He also clearly likes being reunited with Ben Johnson and being part of one of the best offenses in the league.
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