3 Players Bears Must Cut in 2022 NFL Offseason

The Chicago Bears are expected to go through a roster overhaul in the offseason.

That expectation was set in motion by the trades of Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn and the development of Justin Fields at quarterback.

Chicago must use the offseason to land more offensive weapons for its young quarterback. It could either spend big in free agency, land a top wide out in the 2023 NFL draft, or both.

The Bears will have a good amount of salary cap space entering the offseason, but they can create a bit more by offloading some veterans on their roster.

Kicker Cairo Santos has been shaky in parts of the season, while a few reserves may be deemed as expendable with a potentially franchise-changing offseason ahead.

Cairo Santos

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 30: Cairo Santos #2 of the Chicago Bears kicks against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 30, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

The Bears do not have many players in position to be cut in the offseason.

The wide receiver room will be redone with Darnell Mooney staying and Velus Jones on a rookie contract. David Montgomery is set to become a free agent.

With so many big contracts either traded or off the books in 2023, the Bears do not have many clear-cut release options.

Kicker Cairo Santos could be one of the top cut candidates because he is scheduled to make $2.8 million next season, per Spotrac.

Santos is 20-for-23 on extra points and 15-for-16 on field goals this season, but he does have one major miss from the loss to the Detroit Lions.

The Bears might be willing to cut Santos because they can spend less money at kicker and potentially get better results from a free-agent signing.

With so much cap space freed already, they may not have to make many major moves.

Trevor Siemian

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 30: Trevor Siemian #15 of the Chicago Bears warms up before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 30, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Bears 49-29. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

The backup quarterback carousel can spin fast during the offseason.

At the moment, the Bears are set with Trevor Siemian as the backup to Justin Fields. Siemian is under contract for next season with a base salary of $1.9 million.

That is not a terrible price for a backup quarterback, but there may be motivation for the Bears to improve at that spot in case their franchise signal-caller goes down with an injury.

Siemian has a 13-16 record as a starter from his time with Denver, New Orleans and the New York Jets.

The offseason market for backup quarterbacks could potentially contain one or more of Carolina's three quarterbacks, Drew Lock and a few others.

Chicago might be willing to land a quarterback with some winning experience as a starter just in case Fields goes down.

The last thing the Bears want to deal with is a losing run with an ineffective quarterback if Fields is unable to play in the worst-case scenario.

Cody Whitehair

Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

ATLANTA, GA NOVEMBER 20: Chicago guard Cody Whitehair (65) gets set during the NFL game between the Chicago Bears and the Atlanta Falcons on November 20th, 2022 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Bears have $20 million tied up to Cody Whitehair over the next two seasons.

Whitehair could be a cut candidate if he does not perform well for the rest of the 2022 season.

Chicago could opt to give Alex Leatherwood a chance to prove his worth in the coming weeks, and if he succeeds, they could see Whitehair as expendable.

At 30, Whitehair is in a position where he can still contribute, but he could also be replaced by younger options.

Chicago would have to weigh the impact of cutting Whitehair and whether it can find younger and better protection for Fields.