Thursday afternoon, the Chicago Bears began making significant roster moves.
In two moves we knew were coming, the Bears released safety Eddie Jackson and interior offensive lineman Cody Whitehair.
Their releases saves the Bears a great deal of money and, currently, the team has roughly $70 million in cap space this offseason.
Releasing guard Cody Whitehair and safety Eddie Jackson today will save the Bears approximately $21.5 million against the salary cap. https://t.co/Lo9C8nKa0A
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 15, 2024
With using just the $21.5 million they saved from these two cuts, the Bears could go out and sign a big ticket free agent at a position of need. These five players would be well-worth every penny and could all end up getting around $15-$21 million annually in free agency.
1. Christian Wilkins, DL
The former first-round pick out of Clemson had a career year with the Miami Dolphins last year, posting 9.0 sacks as an interior defensive lineman. The 28-year-old is one of the more well-rounded guys in the league at his position, being a force against the run and also in pass rush situations.
In 2023, Wilkins tallied a whopping 58 total pressures on the quarterback, including 32 hurries and 16 hits. The Bears were the league's top run defense last season, and adding someone like Wilkins on the interior will only boost that strength. At the same time, it will add a tremendous lift to their ability to rush the passer, where they struggled last year.
Wilkins is in the thick of his prime, and could likely end up signing somewhere along the lines of a 4-year, $81 million deal. Spotrac projects his market value to be $20.2 million in annual average.
Picture a defensive line with Montez Sweat, Wilkins and another top pass rusher in this year's draft. It would be a dream come true, for Bears fans.