The Chicago Bears have some of the most cap space in the NFL. Still, the key to cap space is staying ahead of it and always clearing room for the future. That is why a team like the Bears will still be trimming the fat this offseason, even with their comfortable cap situation.
The Bears currently have ~$49M in cap space, per Spotrac. What are three moves that could push that total closer to $70M?
3. The Chicago Bears could cut Eddie Jackson this offseason
Eddie Jackson has had plenty of ups and downs with the Chicago Bears in his career. Unfortunately, now he is in a spot where his play is going down, but his cap hit is going up. That is going to make it tough for the Chicago Bears to keep him this offseason.
If the Bears cut Jackson, they would save roughly ~$12.5M in cap space. At this point, that seems like a no-brainer. Jackson is still a solid starter when he is healthy. However, he has struggled to maintain a healthy season in the past two years, and entering age 30, it is unlikely he can sustain his health longer.
Also, his ball skills took a big drop, while his missed tackles went back up. It looks like the health is now affecting the play. Jackson is capable of starting, and if the salary was lower, it would not be a discussion.
Perhaps the Chicago Bears and Jackson can work out a deal that extends his salary while also allowing him to take a pay cut. Either way, the Bears will save some money from Jackson this offseason. If they do