The Chicago Bears and the other 31 NFL teams discovered over the weekend that the 2026 salary cap is estimated to go up between $22 million and $26.5 million. That's a big chunk of change to help every franchise get a leg up on any offseason planning, as just over a month remains until free agency.
This is great news for the Bears, who have several free agents that fans want to see back in the Windy City for at least another year or two. Veteran defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson is in that group of free agents whose future is up in the air to begin February.
Gardner-Johnson quickly injected life into a Bears’ secondary that was banged up by injuries. The veteran defensive back came in and immediately made an impact on defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s unit after being let go by two other teams (the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens) earlier in the season.
It wasn’t looking great for Gardner-Johnson after the Ravens released him in mid-October. That said, the veteran likely changed the narrative about himself across the league, thanks to Allen and the Bears giving him a much-needed opportunity to prove himself all over again.
More Doors Are Opening for CJ Gardner-Johnson to Depart Bears
The veteran defensive back tallied 51 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, four pass deflections, three sacks, two interceptions, and a forced fumble across 10 games (seven starts). He did all of this playing cornerback, and not safety, where he’s made a name for himself.
While the Bears would love to keep him, one has to believe that other teams would be willing to take a chance on Gardner-Johnson, especially given all the coaching turnover we’ve seen this offseason. If he didn't play well under Allen and flamed out with the Bears, the interest would likely be at an all-time low. But that's not the case.
For example, the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets are two teams that could be solid options for Gardner-Johnson. The Cowboys hired Christian Parker to be their new defensive coordinator, who coached Gardner-Johnson for one season in Philadelphia.
Dallas could make a change at the safety spot this offseason, and who better to add into the mix than Gardner-Johnson? In the meantime, the Cowboys must figure out their cap space situation before free agency begins.
As for the New York Jets, they have a new defensive coordinator, too. However, Aaron Glenn is still the head coach and will call the plays this season. Glenn coached Gardner-Johnson in 2023 with the Detroit Lions.
There’s also Jonathan Gannon, who was fired by the Arizona Cardinals last month, but became the Green Bay Packers new defensive coordinator. Gannon coached Gardner-Johnson in 2022, and a reunion could help both sides start the new season right.
Luckily, for Bears fans, Green Bay doesn’t have a huge need at the slot or safety right now. But if the Bears don’t move fast enough on Gardner-Johnson, they can’t put it past anyone to put their bid in for the veteran’s services.
Gardner-Johnson's redemption arc in the Windy City this season was fun to watch, setting him up to either be another key Bears contributor next season or possibly land a multi-year deal with another team.