Chicago sheds a veteran linebacker, unlocking significant cap space. Now, the Bears eye a blockbuster trade and prepare for a busy free agency.
The Chicago Bears are moving quickly before the start of free agency next week.
Tremaine Edmunds was the latest cap casualty for the Bears on Thursday, via ESPN's Adam Schefter. Chicago released him after three seasons with the organization, freeing up $15 million in cap space. (Via Over The Cap)
A trio of NFL teams emerged as favorites to land Edmunds in a trade, but that all goes out the window now that he has been released. The Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants were the favorites.
Edmunds started his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills in 2018. He would spend five seasons in Buffalo before joining the Bears in 2023.
The Bears are in a tricky spot at linebacker for 2026. Edmunds is now gone, and T.J. Edwards and Noah Sewell both suffered serious injuries late in the year.
Edwards suffered a fractured fibula in the Wild Card game with the Green Bay Packers, and Sewell sustained an Achilles injury in Week 17.
The calling card of Edmunds' game is no doubt his tackling ability. He has finished with 100 total tackles or more in each of his eight years in the NFL.
In three years with the Bears, he recorded 335 total tackles, 11 TFLs, two sacks and nine interceptions.
What was remarkable about Edmunds' last season with the Bears was that he didn't even play the whole year due to injury, but was still able to lead the team with 112 total tackles.
The Bears made another big move that involved Edmunds' former team, the Bills. The Bears traded receiver D.J. Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick to Buffalo for a 2026 second-round pick.
The move freed up $16.5 million in cap space.
In total, the Bears will now have $33.1 million in available cap space to spend in free agency. The timing of these moves could coincide with a potential trade for Maxx Crosby.
The Bears became the betting favorite to land Crosby in a trade earlier this week. On top of that, Chicago now has the No. 25, No. 57 and No. 60 picks. The Bears are stockpiling picks at the right time if they want to pursue a trade for Crosby.
Moore was mentioned in nearly every mock trade, including the Bears and the Raiders for Crosby. However, even now that he's with the Bills, a trade could still be in the cards.