The Bears\u2019 season is over. It\u2019s time for a mock offseason. I\u2019ll be making my picks for free agency, the draft, open coaching positions, and which cuts, trades, and restructures to make to create some cap space. You know the drill. Let\u2019s get into it.<\/p>\n
Offensive coordinator: Bears QBs coach J.T. BarrettRunning backs coach: Dolphins RBs coach Eric Studesville<\/p>\n
I originally had this article starting out with just the cuts and restructures, but I procrastinated too long, and the Bears had some coaching positions start to open up. You reap what you sow in this world, and I\u2019ve sown myself a whole new section to this article, I guess.<\/p>\n
Listed as a potential future head coaching candidates by NFL Network\u2019s Tom Pelissero<\/a> late in 2025, J.T. Barrett is just 31 years old and has only been coaching since 2022. That said, he meets a similar model to the addition of Declan Doyle last offseason: he\u2019s young, he\u2019s been rapidly rising up the ranks, and he\u2019s seen success in the units he\u2019s coached over time. An assistant QBs coach for two years with the Lions before taking on the mantle of QBs coach for Chicago this year, having an OC with familiarity to Ben Johnson\u2019s system and with Caleb Williams is a nice bonus.<\/p>\n Eric Studesville was a name thrown out by Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune<\/a> as a possible Eric Bieniemy replacement after the former left to become the Chiefs\u2019 OC. When Biggs usually speculates something, there\u2019s sourced information backing it up. Studesville overlapped with Johnson for a few years with the Dolphins and has been an NFL running backs coach every single season dating back to 2001.<\/p>\n Cut LB Tremaine Edmunds ($15 million)Cut LB Amen Ogbongbemiga ($2 million)Restructure LG Joe Thuney ($7.6 million)Restructure C Drew Dalman ($5 million)Restructure RG Jonah Jackson ($6.8 million)Restructure CB Jaylon Johnson ($6.9 million)Restructure TE Cole Kmet ($4.4 million)<\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen some argue that the Bears shouldn\u2019t cut Tremaine Edmunds, or rather, extend him. There\u2019s certainly validity to that, as he looked quite good before getting hurt, and he\u2019s still just 27 years old. However, he played at an average level for his first two seasons in Chicago, and he reverted back to that inconsistent level of play upon coming back from injury. In his first 10 starts this year, he allowed a passer rating above 100.0 just twice. In his final five games, he surpassed that 100.0 mark allowed in every single game. Edmunds isn\u2019t a bad player, but he\u2019s the third-highest linebacker in annual salary in the NFL, and he\u2019s a far cry from the third-best LB in the league.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re looking for restructure candidates for the Bears this offseason, you\u2019re looking for players you\u2019re confident will be on the team in 2027, because you\u2019re increasing the cap hit for each of those players next offseason. I feel confident that Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson will stay on the team, given the quality of their play in 2025. Joe Thuney has shown no signs of slowing down; I\u2019d argue the only chance of him not being in Chicago in 2027 would be if he retires after next year, which would nullify the increase 2027 cap hit. Cole Kmet I\u2019m fine paying a little extra for a TE2, given his receiving reliability and value as a run blocker. I don\u2019t see a hurry to move off his contract by any means.<\/p>\n Jaylon Johnson was the one player I was 50\/50 on. Coming off an injury that saw him miss most of 2025, he looked a step slow<\/a> athletically once he returned. However, going over his All-22 upon his return, he\u2019s still processing at a quick level and showing ideal physicality working through the receivers\u2019 stems in man coverage. With a full offseason to recover and take things slow, I think he can get back to a quality starting cornerback.<\/p>\n The Bears have a couple other expensive contracts they could restructure this offseason. Candidates I\u2019ve seen include Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Grady Jarrett. However, the latter two stand out as easy cut candidates in 2027. Neither Odeyingbo nor Jarrett lived up to their contracts in 2025, and they would save a combined $27.75 million by releasing them both next offseason. Restructuring them this offseason makes zero sense when you have such an easy out in those bad contracts.<\/p>\n After these cuts and restructures, you still have plenty of cap flexibility for 2027, as well as a lot more cap space in 2026. If you cut Odeyingbo and Jarrett in 2027 \u2014 as well as factoring in a trade I\u2019m about to mention shortly \u2014 you\u2019d have over $76 million that year to extend Darnell Wright, pay another starter if you want (Swift, Dexter, Stevenson?), and make other moves in free agency.<\/p>\n Updated cap space: $31.34 million<\/p>\n Bears trade WR DJ Moore to Steelers for fourth-round pick \u2014 No. 121 overall \u2014 in 2026 NFL Draft ($16.5 million)<\/p>\n This is going to arguably be the most controversial move of the bunch, as there have been many people who have been vocal about wanting to keep DJ Moore on the Bears\u2019 roster in 2026. I see the reasoning for that argument, and there\u2019s validity to it. For one, he provides a proven veteran starter at wide receiver which Chicago would be lacking otherwise. People also point to Moore\u2019s clutch catches in the second half of the season as reasons to keep him. There\u2019s also an emotional attachment to the player that I\u2019d assume plays into their stance, as well.<\/p>\n To me, I just can\u2019t justify spending $28.5 million of my cap space on a declining wide receiver whose effort was an issue all year. He went from 1,364 receiving yards in 2023 to 966 in 2024, then to a career-low 682 in 2025. His yards per route run dropped to a career-low 1.24, too. On tape, there are several instances where he\u2019s seemingly running his routes at half speed. It\u2019s not to take advantage of soft spots against zone coverage by changing his pacing, either; he just isn\u2019t disguising his route concepts or exploding out of his breaks consistently.<\/p>\n You can have your opinions on if he gave up on that last Caleb Williams interception in the Divisional Round. But watching his tape and seeing a lack of effort being a recurring theme in Moore\u2019s game this year, I choose to believe he did.<\/p>\n Moore is still a solid starting wide receiver, but he\u2019s far from the massive cap hit he\u2019s projected at in 2026. He just isn\u2019t a great fit in Ben Johnson\u2019s system, on top of that. The selling point here as a trade option is that Moore still produced fairly well in a crowded Bears\u2019 offense, and Chicago\u2019s still eating $12 million off his contract in a trade. For a WR-needy team like the Steelers, getting a proven veteran at $16.5 million for a cheaper trade value is a better option than many of the wide receivers slated to hit free agency this year.<\/p>\n ESPN\u2019s Bill Barnwell believes<\/a> Moore would get a market as a trade option and would likely net the Bears a mid-round pick. When you see where I have this extra cap space going, you\u2019ll understand why I decided to move off of Moore.<\/p>\n Updated cap space: $47.84 million<\/p>\n FS Kevin Byard: Two years, $15.6 million<\/a> ($7.8M AAV, $4M cap hit in 2026)LB D\u2019Marco Jackson: One year, $2.5 millionWR Olamide Zaccheaus: One year, $1.3 millionOG\/C Ryan Bates: One year, $1.17 millionSS Elijah Hicks: One year, $1.17 millionLS Scott Daly: One year, $1.17 million<\/p>\n All things considered, Kevin Byard is the easiest extension choice the Bears could make this offseason. He played at an All-Pro level in 2025, leading the NFL in interceptions. Given his age, a long-term deal seems unlikely, and salary cap specialty sites seem to expect Byard\u2019s annual salary to stay similar on his next contract. Even if he doesn\u2019t replicate his seven interceptions next year, retaining him at under $8 million a year seems like a no-brainer.<\/p>\n I heavily debated extending Jaquan Brisker, and Braxton Jones and Nahshon Wright could return to the team if the value is right. However, I anticipate all three are going to get contracts larger than what the Bears are willing to pay. Besides, this free agency class is talented at safety, so I like the idea of adding an outside replacement a little better.<\/p>\n D\u2019Marco Jackson and Olamide Zaccheaus are players I have sliding into cheaper one-year deals to compete for rotational roles. Jackson looked really good in limited playing time this past season, and Zaccheaus was much more efficient and less drop-heavy when he wasn\u2019t forced into too big of a role in Chicago\u2019s offense. Neither are star signings, but both provide quality depth to their respective positions.<\/p>\n Updated cap space: $37.81 million<\/p>\n EDITOR: Offensive lineman Jordan McFadden is a restricted free agent who may not warrant a tender offer from the Bears, but is a guy the Bears would probably want back. He feels like a veteran minimum type, so adjust the math accordingly. <\/p>\n DE Trey Hendrickson: Three years, $78 million ($26M AAV, $15M cap hit in 2026)SS Kamren Curl: Three years, $32 million ($10.7M AAV, $5M cap hit in 2026)LB Germaine Pratt: One year, $2.9 millionWR\/KR Dareke Young: One year, $1.2 million<\/p>\n With the cap flexibility I created for 2026, I was able to make space for two splash signings for the Bears. The first one is the biggest swing of all: Trey Hendrickson.<\/p>\n A four-time Pro Bowler with 61.0 sacks in 72 games with the Bengals, Hendrickson is pass-rushing lightning in a bottle. He\u2019s an explosive, incredibly crafty edge defender who knows how to win at the line of scrimmage. There will likely be a steep market for him, even being over 30 with a season-ending injury to his name. He\u2019s one of very few blue-chip players hitting the open market this offseason, and he plays at arguably the Bears\u2019 biggest need. Pursuing him heavily should be a given, assuming they free up enough space.<\/p>\n Instead of extending Brisker, I chose to sign Kamren Curl over from the Rams for slightly more money. It would be an upgrade at the strong safety position, and Curl has missed just two games in the last three seasons to Brisker\u2019s 14. Curl had more interceptions, a lower passer rating allowed, gave up fewer touchdowns, and had a similar missed tackle percentage in the single digits. That improved ability in coverage, similar versatility and tackling value, and more durability makes him a worthy addition to the Bears\u2019 secondary.<\/p>\n The other two signings are depth pieces. Germaine Pratt actually fared very well in 2025 after getting cut by the Raiders midseason, grading with an 88.8 PFSN LB Impact Score<\/a> with the Colts that ranked seventh at his position. Dareke Young had nine special teams tackles this season for the Seahawks, averaging 32.2 yards per kick return in the process, too.<\/p>\n Updated cap space: $13.61 million<\/p>\n Round 1: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio StateRound 2: Josiah Trotter, LB, MissouriRound 3: Skyler Bell, WR, UConnRound 4 (via Steelers, projected trade): Michael Taaffe, S, TexasRound 4 (via Rams): Gabe Jacas, EDGE, IllinoisRound 5: Travis Burke, OT, MemphisRound 7 (from Eagles via Browns): Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&MRound 7: Seth McGowan, RB, Kentucky<\/p>\n