Why the Chicago Bears Created $17 Million in Cap Space and What It Could Mean

Sep 8, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles before the game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears just created a significant amount of salary-cap space, and the timing of the move is interesting. According to ESPN's Field Yates, the Bears restructured the contracts of Joe Thuney, Dayo Odeyingbo and T.J. Edwards, creating roughly $17 million in additional 2026 cap space. Chicago now has much more flexibility heading into the regular season.

That doesn't necessarily mean Ryan Poles is preparing to make a major trade before the season starts. But if the Bears are firmly in the playoff picture at the trade deadline, the added cap space could allow them to make a trade. If Chicago does decide to make a trade deadline deal, it may end up being for pass rush help.

Why Did the Bears Create $17 Million in Cap Space?

The timing of these contract restructures is interesting. Before these moves were made, Chicago had $12.54 million, according to Over the Cap. That's plenty of money to carry into the season.

While adding $17 million doesn't necessarily mean they will trade for a big-name player this season, it certainly points in that direction. Two of the players the Bears restructured are particularly interesting choices in that regard.

Let's start with Dayo Odeyingbo. The restructure doesn't necessarily mean Chicago plans to keep Odeyingbo beyond 2026. As Harrison Graham noted, the Bears could still save $15 million by releasing him next offseason.

Before the move, Chicago could have moved on from Odeyingbo's contract next offseason while taking on just $4.5 million in dead cap. Many Bears fans expected Odeyingbo to be a potential cut candidate, and that possibility remains. That means Odeyingbo will still have plenty to prove this season if he wants to remain with the Bears beyond 2026.

Edwards restructuring, on the other hand, is even more confusing. The 30-year-old is coming off a severe leg injury in the playoffs. Although it seems like he is good to go, no one knows how he will perform this season. Giving yourself an out of the contract after this year is a smart decision, but the restructuring might not allow for that anymore.

The biggest takeaway from these restructures, though, may be the flexibility they give the Bears. Chicago now has significantly more money available without having to make a move immediately. That could become especially valuable if the team enters the season with a weakness that becomes more obvious over the first few weeks.

The Bears Could Use Another Pass Rusher

If Chicago is going to make a significant addition, the defensive end position is where a player will be added. If Booker is unable to assert himself as a threat opposite Montez Sweat by the trade deadline, that's a problem.

One player the Bears could be keeping an eye on is Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Josh Sweat. Although Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported that the Cardinals have no plans to trade him, that could change by the trade deadline.

"From the sound of things, multiple teams have checked in on Sweat over the course of the offseason. And the Arizona Cardinals have expressed zero interest in trading the pass rusher.”

Biggs also quoted the Cardinals GM, Monti Ossenfort: “We have no interest in trading Josh. We’re excited to have him. Some of those discussions we’re going to keep private. Excited to have Josh here. Had a great year last year. Excited for more good things out of him this year.”

However, things could change by the trade deadline. Arizona has a difficult schedule and isn't expected to be good this season. Sweat could be unsatisfied with the team by the deadline and want out.

On top of that, the trade rumors about Sweat started after they fired Jonathan Gannon. Gannon brought Sweat to Arizona and knew how to get the best out of him. After sitting out all of training camp, it isn't unreasonable to assume Sweat is displeased with the Cardinals.

The Bears don't necessarily need to make a move for Sweat or another pass rusher right now. They have the entire regular season to evaluate Booker and the rest of their defensive line. However, if the pass rush is still a concern by the trade deadline, Chicago will have the cap space to make an aggressive move. That's where the $17 million created by these restructures could become very important.

The Bears Need to Have a Plan for the Cap Space

The Bears shouldn't make a trade simply because they have the cap space. If the current roster is good enough to accomplish its goals, there is no reason to give up valuable draft capital for a player who isn't necessary.

However, if Chicago reaches the trade deadline and has an obvious weakness that could prevent it from reaching those goals, Ryan Poles should be willing to use the flexibility he created to fix it.

At the same time, if the Bears have a clear need and don't make a move, it's fair to question why they went through the trouble of creating roughly $17 million in additional cap space.

For now, Chicago can wait and see what the roster looks like once the season begins. But when the time comes, the Bears need to have a clear plan for the flexibility they just created.