Lingering injuries and a lack of elite speed could make one veteran the odd man out as Ryan Poles prioritizes a faster, younger defensive core in Chicago.
The Chicago Bears had roster turnover this offseason, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker were two vital starters who left in free agency. Other members of the secondary, like Nahshon Wright and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, were also not given another contract by the team.
On the defensive line, Andrew Billings was one of the losses after producing a respectable stat line. Then, at linebacker, the Bears released Tremaine Edmunds to free up $15 million in cap space.
To make up for the losses on defense, General Manager Ryan Poles added Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant and Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush in free agency.
The team added Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman and Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott in the 2026 NFL Draft as well.
For the most part, the starters at linebacker are going to remain the same. Noah Sewell and T.J. Edwards both had unfortunate season-ending injuries late in the year but are expected to reprise their roles in 2026.
That is unless one of them is traded at some point this season.
Pro Football Network's Jacob Infante listed Edwards as a trade candidate. He justified the move by mentioning how the Bears have tried to add speed to the defense, which isn't something Edwards can provide at this point in his career.
"The Chicago Bears have shown a preference towards adding speed on defense, which is a mantra that T.J. Edwards doesn’t necessarily meet," Infante said. "His 77.1 PFSN LB Impact Score is the worst score he’s had since 2020, and he’s been a liability for them in coverage. He’s still a smart, physical linebacker, so a team in need of an upgrade at the position could offer a Day 3 selection to take Edwards off Chicago’s hands."
On top of the speed concerns for Edwards, he wasn't able to stay healthy last season.
It started with a hamstring and hand injury that required surgery during the regular season. Then he sustained an ankle and fibula injury during the playoffs.
As a whole, Edwards played in 10 games and recorded 67 total tackles, two TFLs, 0.5 sacks and one interception. That isn't a bad stat line, but the lack of availability is definitely worth watching as the 29-year-old enters his fourth season with the Bears.
Edwards' contract runs out in 2028, but if the Bears do want to get that off the books before then, it would grant them $8.5 million in cap savings if they trade him after June 1, per Overthecap.com.
The Bears haven't been afraid to get younger this offseason. We've seen it at safety and receiver with the decision to trade D.J. Moore to the Buffalo Bills.
With the rising injury concerns, Chicago could benefit from getting Edwards' contract off the books. It would come down to how much the Bears think they could get for Edwards in a trade.
