Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift signed a three-year, $33.75M extension with the team before the start of the season. The deal looks good for Swift, who was entering the last year of his contract and faced uncertainty in free agency.
However, as the numbers of the Swift deal have emerged, it has become clearer that the deal is a win for the Bears.
Chicago Bears win with D’Andre Swift contract
While the deal was presented as a three-year extension in the media, only $19.19M was guaranteed, as it stands, the deal is essentially a one-year, $12.5M extension with team options for the final two years.
The Bears are going to keep Swift for 2027, and they would hardly save anything on the cap it they had to get rid of him. He will be on the cap for $12.5M, but has $11.8M in guaranteed salary coming his way. The rest comes from per-game and workout bonuses. Because of the guaranteed salary, he will likely max those out.
Travis Etienne entered free agency this offseason and signed for $12M per year. So, if Swift had a good year and tested the market, he would not make much more than what the Bears will give him.
However, Swift has $4M in signing bonus money after the first year. If they cut him after the 2027 season, they would eat the $4M in dead cap. However, they would save $8.5M in 2028.
If they kept him through 2028, they could release him in 2029, and they would only eat $2M in dead cap. They would save $9.75M.
Swift is betting on himself, and he likely feels he can live up to the deal. So, he can maximize all three years. However, as he gets older, the Bears are now protected from an injury or drop-off in play beyond this year.
They do not have a plan for 2027 to replace Swift, and they are still high on Swift. So, it makes sense to lock him down for the next year. The extra years make him feel as though he is taken care of, and it makes the deal look better when presented to the media.
Still, this is a team-friendly deal and is not much more than a one-year extension at the market rate.
General Manager Ryan Poles will feel like he won the negotiations on this extension.
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