The 2025 offseason is much different than prior years for the Bears. They have what they believe to be a true franchise quarterback and hired the consensus best coaching candidate on the market. Pinch a Bears fan if you see one!
The team is still far from true contention, however, and will need to upgrade this roster across the board. Some positions are in good spots, but some may be getting an entire overhaul between now and June. The trenches on both sides of the ball are the biggest needs so we should expect to see some activity there between free agency and the draft.
With the recent releases of Gerald Everett and DeMarcus Walker, the Bears land fourth overall in the league in cap space with just under $80M per Over the Cap. If a bidding war ensues over a player in free agency, the Bears should not lose to anyone if they truly have their hearts set on the player.
Free agency opens up in a few weeks and then the draft comes up quickly afterward, so let's take a swing at four bold predictions to come in the Windy City.
1. Kyler Gordon Gets Contract Extension Making him NFL's Highest Paid Nickel Cornerback
Gordon is coming off of another great year for the Bears. While he did not have any interceptions, he did have 75 combined tackles, four tackles for a loss, and two hits on the quarterback - career highs across the board. He has cemented himself as one of the better blitzing cornerbacks in the NFL.
New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen raved about Gordon when first meeting the media saying he was an outstanding player and that he has a vision for how he will look to utilize him in his defense. Gordon was the 13th-ranked cornerback overall according to PFF with a 76.0 grade. Gordon is one of the best players on the Bears' defense and should be looking at quite the payday.
While he still has one year left on his rookie contract, the Bears would likely want to get him locked down before his contract is up. The two highest-paid nickel cornerbacks in the NFL are Taron Johnson ($10.25M/yr) and Michael Carter II ($10.25M/yr). The difference is Johnson was 27 when he signed his deal and Moore was 28. Kyler Gordon just turned 25 this past December. Spotrac currently projects Gordon's next contract to be at $11.1M/yr which would make him the league's highest-paid nickel cornerback and it would be well-deserved.