The Chicago Bears are preparing to enter a new era under head coach Ben Johnson. However, there are still some clear areas of concern the franchise must address.
While the Bears entered the offseason with cap space to work with, they now have just the sixth-lowest in the league at nearly $15 million. Many of Chicago’s high-priced players will need to prove themselves in Johnson’s debut to justify their place in the Windy City.
At the top of the list is linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Set to count nearly $18 million towards the cap in 2025, Edmunds is the fourth-highest paid player on the Bears. In Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report’s eyes, he is the highest paid linebacker in the entire NFL.
“Annual salary is the only place you’ll see Edmunds compared to [Fred} Warner,” Davenport wrote. “Edmunds is what he is: a good-but-not-great linebacker who is wildly overpaid.”
“His pact was a bad contract when it was signed. It hasn’t aged well, either,” he concluded. “But at least the Bears can get out of it in 2026 with a relatively minimal dead cap hit.”
Tremaine Edmunds’ run with Chicago Bears
The Bears signed Edmunds four-year, $72 million contract heading into the 2023 season. He had earned two Pro Bowl nominations over his five years with the Buffalo Bills, racking up 565 tackles, 6.5 sacks and five interceptions. Overall, it looked as if Edmunds was being anointed as the new leader of the defense.
So far, those plans haven’t come to fruition. He has registered at least 110 tackles both of his seasons in Chicago, but Edmunds hasn’t looked close to his Pro Bowl caliber. During the 2024 campaign, he put up 110 tackles, a sack and an interception. His 59.2 grade from Pro Football Focus tells the whole story, as he ranked 119/189 linebackers.
Heading into the 2025 season, Edmunds will be playing a crucial role in new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme. He has been known to feature linebackers, with Demario Davis shining during Allen’s time with the New Orleans Saints. Edmunds will get a fresh opportunity to prove he is worth the $72 million.
If he continues to struggle, Chicago has an out in his contract entering 2026. The franchise can release him, taking on just under $2.5 million in dead cap. The Bears are hoping it doesn’t come to that point, but Edmunds needs to take a massive step forward to avoid being cut.
Cole Kmet contract problems
Edmunds wasn’t the only Bear to make Davenport’s list. Set to earn $12.5 million in 2025, the analyst called Cole Kmet the highest-paid tight end in the league.
“Kmet is a good player and a fan favorite in Chicago,:” Davenport wrote. “And despite all the trade speculation, he isn’t especially likely to be moved.”
“But when the seventh-highest paid tight end in the league isn’t even the best player at the position on your team, something is out of whack,” he concluded.
Kmet’s inclusion on this list is all based on the arrival of rookie tight end Colston Loveland. The Bears used the No. 10 pick on him, meaning he should land a feature role in the offense. Johnson has been adamant that Kmet will still be a critical part of his scheme. However, his contract has now become a bit rich for a backup.
Maybe Johnson isn’t thinking about tight end in that way, opting to utilize both as much as possible. But the Bears didn’t take Loveland for him to stand on the sidelines. For as strong as Kmet has looked at times – 258 receptions for 2,592 yards and 19 touchdowns over his Chicago career – there is now a changing of the guard in the Windy City. To maintain his roster position, Kmet has to prove he can mesh with Loveland in the same offense.
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