Chicago Bears' Salary-Cap Breakdown by Position
In order for the Chicago Bears to make a drastic turnaround from their five-win season last year, they are going to have to bring in a new influx of talent, especially on defense.
As they currently sit, the Bears have $115,269,062 devoted to players under contract for 2015, according to Over The Cap. The NFL salary cap for this year is projected to be $141,545,934. This gives the Bears $26,276,872 to play with.
We broke down the roster by position to see where the money is being spent. Some players might be shown their walking papers, while others are going to be very difficult to move.
Here is the breakdown.
Quarterbacks
1 of 10
General manager Ryan Pace has yet to address Jay Cutler's future going forward. Cutler is owed $16.5 million this season and carries a $19.5 million hit in dead money.
If the Bears want to trade Cutler, they will likely have a hard time finding a deal worth their while. The quarterback led the league in turnovers last season and is entering only the second season of a seven-year extension worth $126.7 million.
Cutler could possibly be cut after the 2015 season, but releasing him before March 12 still means the Bears have to eat up to $19 million, though they avoid his 2016 salary, which becomes fully guaranteed.
The only other quarterback on the roster is second-year man David Fales, who makes a paltry $510,000 in comparison to Cutler.
Running Backs and Fullbacks
2 of 10
Matt Forte is entering his last and most lucrative year of an extension he signed back in 2012. He carries a cap hit of $9.2 million, and his contract ranks fourth in the NFL among running backs.
Forte has a big number, but the production certainly warrants the contract. He had another stellar season, rushing for over 1,000 yards and setting an NFL record among running backs with 102 receptions.
The other two running backs on the roster under contract (Kadeem Carey and Senorise Perry) will earn just barely over $1.2 million combined, and none of Perry's money is guaranteed.
Given that unproven second-year man Kadeem Carey is behind Forte, it's unlikely the team will part ways with him. It will be interesting to see how he does this year and what the team will do going forward into 2016 with him.
Wide Receivers
3 of 10
When Brandon Marshall is right, he's one of the more productive receivers in the NFL. That's why the team signed him to an extension last year.
Given the injuries and poor production overall by the offense, some might consider his $9.57 million cap hit in 2015 to be too much, but don't fret. Marshall will still only be 31 years old by the time the season starts, and he's been relatively healthy throughout his career.
Alshon Jeffery still remains a bargain for one more season. He enters the final year of his rookie deal and will make only $1.45 million this year. That's a deal for a guy who's now had over 80 catches and 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons.
Marquess Wilson makes only a little over $500,000 this year, which means the team can splurge a little on a slot receiver for a year. The Bears need to take advantage of Jeffery's low 2015 number and find a way to help him and Marshall.
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Tight Ends
4 of 10
This year will be year three of the Martellus Bennett experiment in Chicago. Despite some headaches from his antics and a $6.1 million cap hit, he's been worth every penny.
2014 was Bennett's best season in the NFL. He led the league in receptions among tight ends with 90 and made his first Pro Bowl.
Bennett's not going anywhere, but the Bears are likely to find cheap options to back him up. There is no sense pumping any more big money into the position. A late-round draft pick or veteran around $500,000 would suffice.
Offensive Line
5 of 10
In year three of left tackle Jermon Bushrod's deal, he enters the $8 million territory. That might be a fairly big number, but it's still peanuts compared to what some of the other high-end starting left tackles are making in the league.
It makes no sense to look into cutting Bushrod, because he comes with $6.6 million in dead money and a new option won't be cheap, either. Instead, veteran left guard Matt Slauson becomes a potential cut candidate.
Slauson will make $3.2 million this year, but the Bears will be hit for only $1.2 million if they cut him before June 1. Given his injury-plagued season last year, the new regime might go in a different direction.
On the rest of the line, only Kyle Long is safe. He still has two more years left on his deal, and even at a $4.1 million cap hit, the Pro Bowl guard is still a bargain.
The Bears would be wise to let right tackle Jordan Mills go. He makes under $1 million, so his salary isn't a big deal, but the team could afford to invest a little more money into a glaring hole on the roster.
Defensive Line
6 of 10
There's only one year in defensive end Jared Allen's contract that matters, and unfortunately, it's this year.
That's because Allen is set to receive $12.5 million guaranteed. This makes him a virtual lock to be on the roster. The team wouldn't be wise to cut him, and it would be very tough to trade him.
Along with Allen's big number is that of Lamarr Houston, who's still recovering from a torn ACL. He comes with a $9.9 million cap hit but could land on the PUP list, opening up a roster spot.
Also a candidate for the PUP list is defensive end Willie Young. He's recovering from a torn Achilles but will make only $3.1 million, which is manageable compared to Allen and Young.
Nose tackle Jay Ratliff's $1.5 million salary is not guaranteed, and youngsters Will Sutton and Ego Ferguson take up only a little over $1 million combined.
The big question comes with impending free agent Stephen Paea. With over $20 million invested into three players in 2015, and two of them injured, it will be interesting to see if the Bears pursue, Paea who has also had his injury woes in the past.
If Paea comes back to the Bears, Ratliff becomes a possible cap casualty.
Linebackers
7 of 10
The Bears don't have to pay their linebackers much money this year. Jon Bostic, Khaseem Greene and Shea McClellin account for just $4.5 million next year, and most of that is from McClellin's $2.6 million hit.
This means the Bears have a huge opportunity to upgrade the talent on the roster. Don't be surprised if the team splurges on a big free agent like Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston and goes after an inside or outside linebacker in the first round.
The Bears need to bring in a new influx of talent at linebacker and have the money to do so. This has to be a high priority in the offseason.
Safeties
8 of 10
There are only three safeties under contract for the Bears, and Brock Vereen's contract comes with hardly any kind of cap hit if he's released. Vereen's hit is only $293,625, but he's likely not going anywhere.
Ryan Mundy is subject to be released, as the Bears could take his $1.5 million salary and invest it elsewhere.
Anthony Walters is the other safety on the roster, but he only makes $745,000.
Like at linebacker, the safety position needs a complete overhaul for the Bears. They realistically need two starters, either through the draft, free agency or both. Mundy and Vereen might both return next season, but it should be as backups.
Cornerbacks
9 of 10
Kyle Fuller and Tim Jennings figure to be the immediate future at corner for the Bears. Both players are under contract through 2017 and have big cap hits this year.
Jennings' cap hit is $6.65 million, while Fuller's is $7.9 million. Those are starting-cornerback-salary figures, and they virtually handcuff the Bears from making any other big splash at the position.
Al Louis-Jean has a modest $510,000 salary, none of which is guaranteed. Sherrick McManis and Demontre Hurst are both candidates to come back as backups. Neither player takes up a lot of cap space.
Kicker and Punter
10 of 10
Could the Bears actually release Robbie Gould? He's making $3.6 million this year, but given that he carries a $1.8 million cap hit, it's more likely he stays and possibly restructures.
Punter Pat O'Donnell isn't going anywhere, either. He's owed only $536,327 this year and is under team control through 2017.
*All salary cap numbers come courtesy of Over The Cap, unless otherwise noted.
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