The Chicago Bears made an expected move this week with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting that the franchise had released Tremaine Edmunds. This doesn't come as a surprise, as the Bears were widely expected to make meaningful changes at the linebacker position. To put it simply, Chicago's investments weren't matching the performance level, and set up this early offseason release. One that has left Edmunds with a clear direction to go as he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
If there is one team with plenty of cash to spend, it is the Tennessee Titans, who, according to Spotrac, have $89.3 million in open space. Add the clear need to rebuild defensively, and it makes sense the Titans might be in on Edmunds due to their cap situation and overall need to improve. The Titans were a speculated landing spot before the defender was ever officially released. Now that the move is official, it makes even more sense that Edmunds could be targeted by the Titans when you consider the respect that new head coach Robert Saleh has for the defender.
Boy Green Daily's Paul Andrew Esden Jr. noted that "The Bears just released LB Tremaine Edmunds and it feels obvious that he is going to land with the Titans HC Robert Saleh. Saleh nicknamed Edmunds 'Avatar,' called him a 'unicorn in the linebacker world,' and compared him to Brian Urlacher years ago."
This is a ringing endorsement that speaks to the incredible respect Saleh has for the linebacker and why his landing with the Titans seems a safe bet.
Ex-Bears LB Tremaine Edmunds Has Clear Landing Spot After Release
Saleh now has a chance to put Edmunds in the middle of his defense and help steady a unit that clearly needs impact additions this offseason. Part of the issue Saleh is facing is looking at a roster that needs veterans and impact players added to nearly every position group. This makes it far easier to point to players Saleh has talked up in the past as more likely signings.
It seems a linebacker like Edmunds will be prioritized, given that the new head coach so publicly admired the defender. Edmunds has 900 tackles in his career and would be an incredibly impactful leader to drop into the middle of your defense as the Titans attempt to turn the corner. For Saleh, it has always been vital for the coach to have a high-impact middle linebacker he could rely on, with Fred Warner and C.J. Mosley standing out as more recent examples.
Edmunds won't have any trouble finding a new landing spot, thanks to his experience, as teams would be all too happy to bring in this level of experience. For now, though, it appears that Saleh's Titans are safely at the top of this list and should be considered the early favorites to land the former Bear.