The Chicago Bears have turned things around under head coach Ben Johnson, leading them to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Despite making this run, there will be turnover on the roster this offseason, and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds may be atop the list.
Edmunds missed time this season, as he was placed on injured reserve due to a groin injury. Yet, when he was healthy, he didn't look that great, resulting in speculation about his future with the Bears in 2026.
Considering that his production has taken a dip and his cap number for the 2026 season will be $17.4 million, the writing appears to be on the wall for Edmunds. And the playoffs may not be enough to save his Bears tenure.
Tremaine Edmunds’ Tenure with Bears Is Hanging On by a Thread
Edmunds is first on the team in total tackles (112), but has really struggled in pass coverage this season. According to Pro Football Focus, he has allowed 51 completions on 64 targets (79.7%) for 475 yards and three touchdowns while breaking up two passes and coming down with four interceptions. What's alarming is that he gave up as many completions as he did in 2024 despite playing 123 fewer snaps in coverage this season.
Over his past six games, Edmunds has an average of 51 yards per outing. To make matters worse, he was targeted 13 times against the 49ers and Lions in Weeks 17 and 18, giving up 12 catches for 127 receiving yards and a pair of TDs, per PFF.
He's heading into the playoffs with no momentum and could be an area that teams look to exploit. Whether it's attacking him in coverage with tight ends and running backs, or drawing up plays that put him in situations where he has to make plays as a pass defender. And throughout this year, he hasn't shown that he's up to the task.
The Bears have holes that need to be addressed this offseason, and linebacker looks like one of them. If they decided to release or trade him in the offseason, they would unlock $15 million in salary cap savings, according to Spotrac. That would be a nice chunk of change for the Bears to play with, since they're projected to only have just under $8.4 million in cap space.
Chicago will need to address multiple areas of this defense. The Bears will have safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard III hit free agency while also needing help at cornerback and edge rusher. The combination of his play and salary makes it possible that he will be a cap casualty this offseason.
The postseason is where the lights shine the brightest, and based on how Edmunds has played this year, he may be cashing his check out of the Windy City.