The Chicago Bears are in position to be selecting near the top of the draft for the second consecutive year. In this year’s draft, they originally held the No. 1 pick before trading it to the Carolina Panthers in a blockbuster deal. They ended up selecting 10th after swapping the 9th pick with the Philadelphia Eagles.
This year, the Bears could have two selections right near the top of the draft. At 2-7, they are trending toward the top of the board. But, they also own the Panthers’ first-rounder in 2024, and they are tied for the fewest wins in the league with the Arizona Cardinals at 1-7.
This offseason will be Chicago’s best chance to load up on high-end, young talent and mix in some veteran additions in free agency. General manager Ryan Poles has been attempting that balancing act since last year’s trade deadline, when he traded away linebacker Roquan Smith but acquired wide receiver Chase Claypool.
It is a difficult strategy to pull off, but he looks like he will be attempting it once again. In addition to the premium draft picks, the Bears should have a lot of cap space to spend in free agency. That is because they are rumored to be moving on from veteran safety, Eddie Jackson.
According to MJ Hurley, the COO of TDT Media, the Bears are planning on cutting Jackson after the 2023 season. Their motivation for the move is monetary, as cutting him would save the team $12 million on the salary cap.
This would be a major decision for the Bears to make as Jackson has consistently been one of their best players in recent years. With two Pro Bowls and one All-Pro nomination under his belt, he is someone teams would normally love to keep on their roster.
However, salary cap implications almost always trump production on the field. Saving $12 million is a lot of money and Poles likely believes it would be better allocated elsewhere on the roster.
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