Contracts Bears Must Consider Cutting in 2022 Offseason

It's already been an offseason of change for the Chicago Bears, who have wasted no time in making moves on their staff. They have hired Ryan Poles as general manager, Matt Eberflus as head coach and Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator.

The Bears still have plenty of work to do before the 2022 season, though. They will be making roster changes throughout the offseason, which includes parting ways with some players and adding others. And they will bring in another wave of young talent via the 2022 NFL draft.

Chicago has some financial flexibility, as Over the Cap projects the franchise to have $28.6 million of cap space. However, the Bears could create even more space by getting rid of some of the sizable contracts on their payroll.

Here's a look at several players Chicago may want to consider getting rid of in order to create even more cap space for the rest of the offseason.

Eddie Goldman, DT

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Eddie Goldman still has two seasons remaining on his four-year, $42 million contract extension. However, he's coming off a season in which he recorded only 22 tackles and a career-low 0.5 sacks in 14 games.

As Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire noted, Goldman would have a dead-cap hit of $5.2 million if he were released, but that number would drop to about $3 million were he cut after June 1. So it would be in the Bears' best interest to wait until after that date to release Goldman if they are planning to do so.

Goldman is 28 and has spent his entire six-year NFL career with the Bears, who selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. But his $11.8 million cap hit for the 2022 season ranks fifth-highest on the team, and Chicago may not be able to justify paying him that type of money based on his recent play.

The Bears have solid depth on the defensive line, and they could always add more at a lower cost during the offseason. So it could be beneficial for them to move on from Goldman, even if it's not until the summer.

Tarik Cohen, RB

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Tarik Cohen played only three games during the 2020 season before suffering a torn ACL, and he never made it back for the Bears during the 2021 campaign. Before that, he had been a valuable receiving back who was a key contributor in Chicago's offense.

But with Cohen out in 2021, the Bears had no trouble keeping the running game moving. David Montgomery is the clear top back and among the best RBs in the league, while Khalil Herbert had a solid rookie season that proved he could be a factor in the years to come.

Cohen still has two years remaining on his contract, and he will have a $5.75 million cap hit in 2022. Even if the 26-year-old gets back on the field, it's unknown whether he will be as effective.

With David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert and Damien Williams all coming back next season, there may not be room for Cohen on the Bears roster. Perhaps they will consider parting ways with him and using that cap space to address another area on their team.

Danny Trevathan, LB

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Danny Trevathan played only five games during the 2021 season because of a knee injury. It marked the third time in the linebacker's six-year tenure with the Bears that he played nine or fewer games in a year. He's played every game in a season only twice during that span.

With Trevathan having a $5.72 million cap hit in 2022, it's possible Chicago will decide now is the best time to part ways with him. He's been in the NFL for 10 years, and if he can't stay healthy, at 31, he may not have many productive seasons ahead of him.

The Bears have some talented young players on their defense, and they could look to add even more youth on that side of the ball. Trevathan doesn't fit that bill, as Chicago may want to get better for both the short and long term.

It would make sense for the Bears to release Trevathan and then use that extra cap space created to make their defense better and younger. It's also possible they could add depth to their linebacker corps via the draft and sign free agents at other positions.