Tag: Bears salary cap

5 takeaways from Bears’ release of Prince Amukamara, Taylor Gabriel

The Bears parted ways with CB Prince Amukamara and WR Taylor Gabriel in order to free up some much-needed salary cap space this offseason.

The Bears parted ways with cornerback Prince Amukamara and receiver Taylor Gabriel on Friday, in order to free up some much-needed salary cap space this offseason.

It was the choice for general manager Ryan Pace, who recognizes that there’s a lot of work to do on the offensive side of the ball. Still, the Bears lost two solid players and high-character guys that will be missed. They also have holes to fill at cornerback and speedy receiver.

Here are five takeaways from Amukamara and Gabriel’s release:

1. The Bears cleared up salary cap space

Kamil Krzaczynski/Chicago Tribune via AP

When all is said and done, Amukamara and Gabriel were both solid free agent pickups for Ryan Pace. But with that said, cutting ties with them was something that Pace had to do.

The Bears had just $5 million in salary cap space for the 2020 season before making the decision to release Amukamara and Gabriel. Those cuts freed up an additional $13.5 million in cap space that will help the Bears this offseason.

While Amukamara was a solid player on Chicago’s defense, the Bears couldn’t justify the $9 million cap-hit he would’ve had in 2020. With the influx of young receivers the Bears have on their roster, parting ways with Gabriel made sense, especially as it saved Chicago an addition $4.5 million in cap space.

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SI says Leonard Floyd, Trey Burton are on hot seat in 2020

Just about a month away from the new league year, the Bears don’t have long to free up some salary cap space heading into free agency.

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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How Kyle Long’s exit from Chicago affects Bears’ salary cap in 2020

With Kyle Long’s career done in Chicago, the Bears will have to find a replacement at RG, but they’ll benefit in terms of the salary cap.

Kyle Long has called it a career — at least in Chicago. Although his tweets indicate that the seven-year veteran is indeed calling it a career.

Long was one of the best guards in the NFL when he was healthy. But ultimately, injuries were his downfall. Long finished his last four seasons on injured reserve, including this past season when his season was cut short with a hip injury following Week 5.

So how does Long’s impending Chicago departure affect the Bears moving forward in 2020? Aside from having to find a replacement at right guard, the Bears will benefit in terms of the salary cap.

Long, whose contract was set to expire following the 2020 season, was due to make $9.6 million this upcoming season.

If the Bears release Long before March 18, they’ll free up $8.1 million in cap space — $6 million against the 2020 cap and $2.1 million on roster and workout bonuses — with a dead money hit of $1.5 million.

The Bears are projected to have roughly $16 million in cap space for 2020, according to Spotrac.

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Breaking down contract status at every position for Bears’ offseason

With the Bears offseason in full swing, we decided to take a look at the current contract status at every position and the cap hit for each.

The Chicago Bears concluded their 2019 season at 8-8, which was quite disappointing considering the sky-high expectations surrounding the team prior to the start of the year.

Now, the attention turns to the offseason, where general manager Ryan Pace will have plenty of work to do and not a whole lot of cap space to do it with — at least at the moment. The Bears have roughly $16 million in cap space, although that is prior to Eddie Jackson’s massive four-year extension.

With the offseason in full swing, we decided to take a look at the current contract status at every position.

For note: Those listed that still have time left on their contracts could be released or traded during the offseason (such as Kyle Long), and some could sign extensions (like Jackson, whose new contract is NOT included in this list, as his current cap hit is unknown.)

This list also includes players entering free agency and those on injured reserve, although not the practice squad.

Here’s a key:

  • UFA – Unrestricted free agent
  • RFA – Restricted free agent
  • ERFA – Exclusive Rights Free Agent
  • CO – Club option
  • Ages are as of Sept. 1, 2020

Quarterbacks

Years left Age 2020 Cap Hit
Mitchell Trubisky 1 26 $9.237M
Chase Daniel UFA 33 n/a
Tyler Bray UFA 28 n/a

Total cap hit: $9.237M

Running backs

Years left Age 2020 Cap hit
Tarik Cohen 1 25 $894K
David Montgomery 3 23 $946K
Ryan Nall 1 24 $585K

Total cap hit: $2.425M

Wide receivers

Years left Age 2020 Cap hit
Allen Robinson 1 27 $15M
Anthony Miller 2 25 $1.46M
Cordarrelle Patterson 1 29 $5.75M
Taylor Gabriel 2 29 $6.5M
Javon Wims 2 25 $684K
Riley Ridley 3 24 $755K

Total cap hit: $30.149M

Tight ends

Years left Age 2020 Cap hit
Trey Burton 2 28 $8.55M
Adam Shaheen 1 25 $1.88M
Ben Braunecker 1 26 $1.62M
Jesper Horsted 1 23 $585K
J.P. Holtz ERFA 27 n/a
Bradley Sowell UFA 31 n/a
Eric Saubert 1 26 $735K

Total cap hit: $13.32M

Offensive line

Years left Age 2020 Cap hit
Cody Whitehair 5 28 $7.4M
Charles Leno Jr. 2 28 $10.3M
Bobby Massie 3 31 $8.3M
Kyle Long CO 31 $9.6M
James Daniels 2 22 $1.895M
Rashaad Coward RFA 25 n/a
Alex Bars 1 24 $585K
Cornelius Lucas III UFA 29 n/a
Ted Larsen UFA 33 n/a
Corey Levin 1 26 $735K
T.J. Clemmings UFA 28 n/a

Total cap hit: $38.815M

Defensive line

Years left Age 2020 Cap hit
Akiem Hicks 2 30 $11.8M
Eddie Goldman 3 26 $10.8M
Bilal Nichols 2 23 $734K
Nick Williams UFA 30 n/a
Roy Robertson-Harris RFA 27 n/a
Brent Urban UFA 29 n/a
Abdullah Anderson 1 24 $585K

Total cap hit: $23.919M

Linebackers

Years left Age 2020 Cap hit
Khalil Mack 5 29 $26.6M
Roquan Smith 3 23 $5.039M
Danny Trevathan UFA 30 n/a
Leonard Floyd 1 27 $13.222M
Nick Kwiatkoski UFA 27 n/a
Kevin Pierre-Louis UFA 28 n/a
Aaron Lynch UFA 27 n/a
Isaiah Irving RFA 26 n/a
Joel Iyiegbuniwe 2 24 $829K
Josh Woods 1 24 $600K
Devante Bond RFA 27 n/a

Total cap hit: $46.29M

Cornerbacks

Years left Age 2020 Cap hit
Kyle Fuller 2 28 $11.5M
Prince Amukamara 1 31 $9M
Kevin Toliver II 1 24 $665K
Buster Skrine 2 31 $6.1M
Sherrick McManis UFA 32 n/a
Duke Shelley 3 23 $616K
Michael Joseph 1 25 $510K
Josh Simmons 2 24 $585K

Total cap hit: $28.976M

Safeties

Years left Age 2020 Cap hit
Eddie Jackson* 1 26 $901K
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix UFA 27 n/a
Deon Bush UFA 27 n/a
DeAndre Houston-Carson RFA 27 n/a

*Four-year extension not factored in

Total cap hit: $901K

Specialists

Years left Age 2020 Cap hit
Pat O’Donnell 1 29 $1.85M
Eddy Pineiro 1 24 $660K
Patrick Scales UFA 32 n/a

Total cap hit: $2.51M

Contract information courtesy of Over The Cap and Spotrac.

Bears tight on cap space as NFL projects salary cap increase as high as $201.2M in 2020

The 2020 NFL salary cap is projected to be between $196.8 and $201.2 million, leaving the Bears just over the salary cap for 2020 right now.

NFL teams are going to have a lot more money to play with this offseason as the 2020 NFL salary cap is projected to be between $196.8 and $201.2 million.

The salary cap is expected to increase by more than $8 million from the current cap of $188.2 million, but it’s still going to be challenging for Bears general manager Ryan Pace heading into a busy offseason.

The Bears have roughly $202 million committed to the salary cap in 2020, according to Over the Cap. Depending on where the NFL and NFLPA agree to set next year’s salary cap, the Bears need to clear between $1.8 and $6.2 million just to get under the projected salary cap.

It won’t be easy for Pace, but he’s managed to get creative in creating cap space. His offseason priorities are locking up some players in-house, including safety Eddie Jackson, receiver Allen Robinson and linebacker Kwiatkoski, who is an unrestricted free agent in 2020.

Among the Bears’ in-house free agents in 2020 are linebacker Danny Trevathan, safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, defensive back/special teams ace Sherrick McManis, defensive tackle Nick Williams, linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis and quarterback Chase Daniel.

Pace could manage extra cap space by releasing players like right guard Kyle Long, cornerback Prince Amukamara and receiver Taylor Gabriel, who combined would give the Bears an extra $20.6 million in cap space, among others.

Chicago has a lot of needs to address this offseason — be it in free agency or the NFL Draft — including tight end, offensive line, edge rusher and backup quarterback.

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