The Chicago Bears contracts situation appears stable for the time being. Nobody is embroiled in a push for new money. No draft picks have held out. Everybody is focused on the season at hand. This is a good thing. GM Ryan Pace is now free to shift his gaze towards the future. Not only in regards to the next draft, but also potential extensions or cuts he may have to make.
There are a number of name across the roster he likely has already done some preliminary work on. The real challenge will be how he juggles them without it becoming a distraction to a team that feels they have Super Bowl aspirations. If anything, the more situations he can get squared away in faster time, the less his players will have to complain about.
Here are five names with contract issues that the Bears are certain to address in some form or fashion in the coming months.
Cody Whitehair
This might be one of the more odd situations for Pace. Whitehair went to the Pro Bowl last year as a center and has been a center most of his career. Now all of sudden the man enters the fourth and final year of his rookie deal as the Bears’ left guard. While that doesn’t change things a bunch, it does create a somewhat awkward shift in negotiations.
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Guards tend to earn a bit more in their contracts than centers. However, Whitehair has yet to play a full season at that position. So the question is does he look to get the kind of money he’d have earned at center or does he hold off until after the 2019 season concludes in hopes of squeezing out more as a guard? That depends entirely on him and his agent.
If the Bears don’t lock him up to a new deal before the regular season begins, we’ll have an answer.
Eddie Jackson
Even dating back to his rookie year, there were signs that Jackson could be a superstar in the making. Then he delivered an All-Pro season in 2018 with six interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. He is starting to look like the next great safety in the NFL. The interesting part is whether the Bears will want to move fast on locking him up for the long term.
The 2020 season will be the last of his rookie deal. If Jackson has another standout year, it is reasonable to assume the team will want to make sure he never even gets a chance to flirt with the idea of free agency. There is no doubt he should be a member of their core for years to come. This could be a question of timing. Whether they pounce quickly or wait things out.
Leonard Floyd
The Bears picked up the 5th-year option on Floyd contract. This means he’ll be under their control through 2020 if they wish it. What nobody is sure about is whether they want to keep him beyond that. Floyd has been one of the most frustrating players the Bears have drafted in the past five years. There is no question he has the talent and flashed it numerous times since 2016.
The problem is that talent doesn’t make frequent enough appearances. He’ll look great for a certain period and then disappear. Worse still the only thing he’s consistent at is getting hurt. He missed several games his first two years with concussion and knee injuries. Then last year he played half the season with a broken hand. Will this finally be his time?
If not, then his future in Chicago becomes a lot more uncertain.
Kyle Long
Salary cap is going to become an issue for the Bears next year. As things stand even if the NFL cap ceiling goes up they could still be in the red with their current books. This might force them to make some tough decisions on veteran players. Most notably ones who will be in their 30s and can be removed with a chance to gain significant cap space.
Long falls into this category. Long will turn 31-years old next year. That is necessarily too old but given the array of injuries he’s suffered through, it is something to note. The Bears value him as a major locker room force but he’d also gain them a valuable $8.1 million in breathing space. Guards aren’t too hard to find among offensive position groups.
Prince Amukamara
Amukamara was a solid find by the Bears in 2017 and has been a reliable cover corner the past two years. However, he too will be 31 next season and older defensive backs tend to lose steam a lot faster than other positions. With money likely going to Jackson in the near future, the team may look to sacrifice Amukamara in order to ensure they have the funding.
Removing his contract would net them an additional $8 million. They would then be able to replace him on the cheap either with a player already on the roster or via the draft. Chuck Pagano is a defensive back specialist so this is an area he tends to thrive in. That is why Chicago shouldn’t fear moving on if forced into a tough financial spot.
