It’s never too early to look ahead to the 2024 season. Unless the Bears pull off a miraculous winning streak, all Bears fans can do is play the “wait until next year” game. If no roster moves or contract extensions happen, the Bears are currently expected to have $78.8 million in cap space. While that looks impressive, keep in mind at the time of this writing, only 37 players are under contract for 2024.
Two names not on the roster (courtesy of the OverTheCap website) are RB D’Onta Foreman and standout CB Jaylon Johnson. Popular belief is both deserve to be re-signed to new deals.
Foreman was only signed to a one-year contract for the 2023 season. He has more than delivered for the Bears’ offense, especially when you consider his cap number was a team-friendly $2 million. Ryan Poles would be wise to sign him to a one or two year deal.
Jaylon Johnson has become a top-tier defensive back. He is due a big payday. Hopefully, he stays in Chicago. The Bears have options; they can sign him to a long-term extension, or the franchise tag is available. Johnson’s 2023 cap number is just over $3.5 million.
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Assuming 10 to 12 current roster spots will turn over, many at or near league minimum deals, the Bears still need to add several players to fill out the 2024 roster.
Many anticipate Cody Whitehair and Eddie Jackson will be released ahead of next season. With post-June 1 cuts, the Bears will add over $24 million to their already impressive cap surplus.
If the Bears can’t work out a contract extension with Johnson, the anticipated franchise tag for a cornerback is $18,410,000. Jaylon’s current cap number added to the savings created by cutting Jackson is shy of that number.
Another player Ryan Poles must make a decision on is Darnell Mooney. He is slated to become an Unrestricted free agent after this season.
One thing is certain. Poles has done amazing work with cap management while rebuilding Chicago’s roster. Expect more of the same next season.
The Bears have high skilled players in Wright, Jones, and Jenkins, Moore, and Kmet on offense. And their RBs are proven quality. Sweat, Edwards, Johnson, Gordon, and some up and comers on defense. Poles has done a great job. Their biggest needs are QB, center, DE, and safety. Given they have the #1 overall, they should be able to trade that and get a QB and DE in the first round if they choose to pass on the best player coming out next year in Bowers. Then in 2nd round get a safety and center, and later add to their… Read more »
The Bears big decision is what to do with their coaching. For a young team they did not do well bringing players on, and both offensively, and defensively their schemes are conservative. If the goal is to win the “Black and Blue” division, they’re probably ok, but to win ALL the marbles they simply haven’t exceptional players with whom they can risk, without their being significant downside. What do I mean? Philadelphia has an extraordinarily high 4th down percentage. That gives them approximately 20% more time of possession and possibility of s ori g, than their opponents. THE Niners and… Read more »
@Slip Knotz The good thing about Justin is that the Bears don’t need to do anything with his contract, except I think they should almost automatically pick up his 5th year option. That gives them two more years of affordable control, and if they decide to trade him, he carries more value to his next team (so a better return for the Bears). Hopefully the Bears learned from the mistake the Giants made with Jones. They wouldn’t be stuck with the bad second contract now if they had just picked up the 5th year when they had the chance. Baltimore… Read more »
I really can’t see that Mooney has done enough to earn much of a contract. I feel bad for him because it seems Fields rarely sees him but that is the unfortunate fact. I’m afraid we need to see more of Scott and the team really needs to get more TE’s. JJ is a money decision. He came on super strong once we got Sweat but so did everyone else. JJ didn’t do fascinating things until his contract year. JJ is a good player IMO but there are a few risks with “just paying the man”. Will he become Eddie… Read more »