We’re just about a month away from the new league year, which means the Bears don’t have long to free up some salary cap space heading into free agency.
When discussing potential cap casualties this offseason, cornerback Prince Amukamara tops the list. He’s due to make $10 million in 2020, and the Bears can save $9 million by releasing him.
Aside from Amukamara, who are some Bears players that could find themselves looking for a new team this spring?
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and tight end Trey Burton could find themselves without a job in Chicago.
Bears LB Leonard Floyd: The Bears thought a breakout season was coming from Floyd in 2019. Instead, he finished with three sacks. I’m sure GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy would like to give the former top-10 pick another year. The trouble, for the cap-strapped Bears, is that his $13.2 million lump-sum option for 2020 would be an easy place to yield a significant amount of financial breathing room.
Bears TE Trey Burton: Chicago has a tight cap situation, and Burton’s coming off a rough year that ended on IR. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Bears conduct a complete overhaul at his position.
The Bears have said they feel good about Floyd — although they note that they’d like to see more production out of him in terms of sacks. But are they ready to shell out $13.2 million to an unproven edge rusher rather than spend that money elsewhere and target a young prospect in the NFL Draft?
Given that Floyd’s fifth-year option was guaranteed only for injury, the Bears could get out of that deal before March 18.
Then there’s Burton, who came to Chicago with high expectations two years ago. While he was productive in 2018, injury ultimately sidelined him in 2019.
While cutting Burton would certainly help Pace move on from what appears to have been a mistake, it would only free up $1.05 million in cap space and cost the Bears a $7.5 million in dead money. Next year would be an entirely different story. If Chicago cuts him then, it can save $7.1 million in cap space, with a $1.75 million dead-money hit.
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