After a player's third NFL season, he becomes eligible to start to talk extensions. So, needless to say, finishing that third NFL is quite big for some players. The Chicago Bears 2021 draft class will be remembered as the last class by General Manager Ryan Pace.
As we take a look back on that class, it is worth wondering which of these players may get an extension and what type of contract they will be offered if one comes this offseason.
Round 1: Justin Fields
Did you know that Justin Fields could be up for an extension? It has only been the talk of Chicago for months. With the team carrying the first overall pick, this discussion is so much different than if they just had their ninth overall pick and needed a huge trade to move on from Fields. Now, it is much easier.
It appears as though Justin Fields will have some clarity on his future soon, but it will not be right now. Still, the team trading for him will be incentivized to talk contract. If they are going to trade anything of substance, they would probably pick up the fifth-year option or risk losing him after just one season.
With that option picked up, the team will have time to talk extension. However, the most likely path is to see the option picked up, watch Fields play, and then either have him play out the option year or extend him while he is on the fifth-year option.
Round 2: Teven Jenkins
Teven Jenkins will be an interesting discussion for the Chicago Bears this offseason. When he plays, he is worthy of an extension immediately. However, he has simply not played enough or played at a position long enough to warrant this discussion.
As a rookie, Jenkins mised the started of the year with a back issue. He came back, but only played 160 snaps, all of them coming at left tackle. Then, a new regime came in, and they moved him to right guard. The team did not start him out of the gates, and he had to earn the job. Then, he missed four more games due to injury.
In 2023, he played his best. This time he settled in at left guard for 455 snaps, but he also played 276 snaps at right guard. Still, he once again missed time in two separate occasions due to two separate injuries. Some of this is hard to control. Still, in three years, he has played three different positions and has missed time each year with a different ailment. The Chicago Bears have to wait until after this season to decide what to do with Teven Jenkins, even that means letting walk via free agency next year.
Round 5: Larry Borom
Larry Borom was the fifth round pick that year, and he ended up playing more in his rookie season than any other year. That roster was falling apart, and the injury to Teven Jenkins did not help things. The Bears also traded Charles Leno, assuming that Jenkins would be healthy, so their depth was thin.
Borom played 546 snaps at right tackle, and 85 at left tackle as a rookie. He has not progressed since then. He played just 528 snaps the following year, with 466 at right tackle, 42 at left guard, and 20 at right guard. There, they learned his best fit is probably tackle.
In 2023, he played 411 snaps with 408 at left tackle and 3 as an extra blocker. There, we learned that he is better on the right side. Borom was a mess as a left tackle. The Chicago Bears are more likely to let him walk next year than re-sign him.
Round 6: Khalil Herbert
Khalil Herbert will be a tough decision for the Chicago Bears. The odds are that he will want to bet on himself having a big year and not sign any deal that they offer. We did look into what a potential deal would look like. For the Bears, they want to offer him closer to $5M per year, but Herbert will think that he can get closer to $10M with a strong offseason.
Herbert will flash that he has great efficiency numbers and he has produced big plays. The Bears will highlight that he was the lead back once, he got hurt and did not finish with over 150 carries. In the other years, he was just a change of pace from David Montgomery. At best, he may be a complimentary back. He has not done enough to earn that extension. Considering the sides are going to be nearly $5M off in their offers, the odds are that Herbert will not be extended this offseason either.
Round 6: Dazz Newsome
Dazz Newsome has bounced around the NFL. He spent 2021 with the Chicago Bears but hardly played. New General Manager Ryan Poles came in and was not impressed. He cut Newsome. Newsome went to the Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals before he landed with the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad in 2022. In 2023, he spent the offseason on the San Francisco 49ers but did not make the team. He spent the 2023 season looking for work. He will want an offer, not an extension.
Round 6: Thomas Graham
Thomas Graham spent 2021 and 2022 on the Chicago Bears, but Ryan Poles eventually cut the second-year cornerback whom he did not draft. Graham signed to the Cleveland Browns practice squad and made a brief appearance on their active roster. In 2023, he was back with the Cleveland Browns through November 28. He was on the IR most of the year, and once he got healthy, he lost his spot. However, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed him about a month ago, and he will be on their roster heading into the offseason. They will not give him an extension offer, though.
Round 7: Khyiris Tonga
Khyiris Tonga may end up with a new deal, but it will not be with the Chicago Bears. He spent 2021 with the team, but Ryan Poles moved on. He spent 2022 with the Atlanta Falcons before being let go during the season. There, he caught on with the Minnesota Vikings. Tonga played 276 snaps in 2022 and 188 snaps last year. Because he was cut, he is already a free agent, although he is a restricted free agent. So, the odds are that the Vikings will match any offer he gets, and he will stay with them for the next year.