After granting linebacker Tremaine Edmunds permission to seek a trade last week, it’s now being reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the Chicago Bears are releasing him. Finding a suitor for Edmunds proved too difficult as he was in the final year of his contract with a relatively small dead cap hit ($2.4M).
Moving on from Edmunds will give the Bears $15 million in cap relief and is likely a precursor to a new “pricy” free agent signing. The Bears have a big need to fill at pass rusher and a gaping
hole at center, and releasing Edmunds, along with the DJ Moore trade and the unexpected retirement of Drew Dalman, suddenly gives the Bears some financial flexibility.
In his three years in Chicago, Edmunds averaged 112 tackles a season, while picking off 9 passes, with 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 sacks, and 11 tackles for loss.
With Edmunds officially gone, that leaves the Bears with no healthy starting linebackers under contract. T.J. Edwards (10 starts) and Noah Sewell (9 starts) ended the season on injured reserve, and D’Marco Jackson, who looked solid in his 16 games and 4 starts, is a free agent.
What do you think the Bears will do with some of this newfound salary cap space?
