While the salary cap has certainly been an issue for the Chicago Bears this offseason, that shouldn’t be the case next year. And that doesn’t just have to do with the salary cap increase for next season.
The NFL set the salary cap ceiling for 2022 at $208.2 million. That would be a $25.7 million increase from this season’s cap of $182.5 million. Although, we won’t know the final salary cap until next February.
While things certainly are going to change over the next year, the Bears currently have $163.11 million committed to contracts next season. They’re projected to be under the salary cap with $45.08 million in cap space for 2022, which is the 12th most in the NFL. They currently have 35 players under contract for next season.
General manager Ryan Pace has plenty of work to do in terms of working on contract extensions for a few players, including wide receiver Allen Robinson, linebacker Roquan Smith, offensive lineman James Daniels and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols.
Where things currently stand, Chicago currently has just $219,000 in cap space. But that’s without Charles Leno’s pending release, which goes into effect after June 1. The move will effectively clear up $9 million in cap space, which will allow the Bears to sign its current class of rookies.
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