Key free agents like Byard and Brisker face uncertain futures as the Bears navigate a tight salary cap and difficult roster decisions.
It's the offseason for the Chicago Bears, which means figuring out who to re-sign out of the players with expiring contracts.
Valuable assets like Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker are set to become free agents after having very solid 2025 seasons. Byard led the NFL with seven interceptions, and Brisker set career highs in total tackles with 93.
Other players set to hit the free agent market include Olamide Zaccheaus, Nahshon Wright, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Jonathan Owens, Andrew Billings, Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet.
Both Byard and Brisker have made it clear that they would love to come back to the Bears, but it doesn't look like that's going to be possible, at least for the Penn State product.
Brisker's market value in free agency is going to make bringing him back near impossible for Chicago.
This is especially true with the cap situation that the Bears have. Chicago is $17 million under the cap.
The biggest contracts that are contributing to that negative cap space are receiver D.J. Moore, edge rusher Montez Sweat and cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds ($15 million), tight end Cole Kmet ($8.4 million) and running back D'Andre Swift ($7.5 million) will free up the most cap space if their contracts are taken off the books.
Edmunds has one more year left on his deal, while Kmet and Swift both have two. Getting rid of Kmet may be easier knowing that the Bears have a star in the making in Colston Loveland, especially since he is still on his rookie deal.
Unlike the situation with left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, the Bears should get linebacker T.J. Edwards back from his season-ending fibula injury before the 2026 season.
Edwards suffered a fibula injury in the 31-27 win over the Green Bay Packers, which is also when Trapilo had his patellar injury. Unfortunately for Trapilo, he likely won't be back until late in the 2026 season.
The Trapilo situation means that the Bears may need to find a short-term replacement at left tackle.
Swift recently eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in his NFL career, so the Bears could get some decent trade compensation for him.
It's safe to say that the same players won't be on this team in 2026, especially with the current cap situation. This is an unfortunate reality in the NFL that all teams must come to terms with.