Final Off-Season Prediction

I was going to post this yesterday, so please note some edits following the Moore trade.

The retirement of Dalman changed my entire perspective on the Bears' off-season. It's a strong reminder that nothing is certain, and that plotting for best-laid plans is, in a lot of ways, a fool's errand.

I was generally in the draft and develop and take it slow camp, but I think the Bears need to signal to the league (and to future free agents) that they're in it to win it. I don't think it means trading for Crosby necessarily, as you'll see below, but I do think it means being aggressive and not relying on someone like Caleb Banks to be the savior of the defense. 

These are the principles that guided this exercise:

1. If DJ Moore is moved, the Bears will do right by him and give him some choice of his destination. (Editor's note: I was right)
2. The Bears were willing to spend $60M on the interior of their iOL and were comfortable rolling the dice on LT. I don't think that philosophy has changed.
3. The Bears defense is still very much a work in progress, and an influx of youth is not going to be an immediate solution. Jarrett and Odeyingbo will be released next year, and there will need to be veteran leaders in certain position groups.

With that said, this is how I'd approach the offseason:

Cuts:

Edmunds - $15M

Swift - $7.5M

Restructures:

Thuney - $7.6M

Jackson - $6.5M

Extension:

Kmet - $6.5M

Available Cap after Above: $44.5M

Less needs for rookie class and in-season flexibility: $15M

Available Cap Space: $29.5M

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Now comes the fun part:

Trade: DJ Moore to New England Patriots for 2026 4th (CHI) and 2026 6th (PIT) - Cap Savings 16.5M (Editors note: Actual trade, DJ Moore + '26 Chicago 5th for '26 Buffalo 2nd. Nice work, Poles.)

Available -$46M

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Now, to rebuild the roster.

Sign:

Tyler Linderbaum (C) - 4yr $90M. 2026 Cap Hit - $22.5M ($60M Guaranteed)

Jamaree Salyer (G/T) - 2yr $13M. 2026 Cap Hit - $7M ($13M Guaranteed)

Kam Curl (S) - 3yr $22.5M. 2026 Cap Hit - $5M ($15M Guaranteed)

AJ Epenesa (EDGE) - 2yr $16M 2026 Cap Hit - $6M ($12M Guaranteed)

D'Marco Jackson (LB) - 2 yr $3.5M 2026 Cap Hit - $1.75M ($3.5M Guaranteed)

Veteran/RFA/ERFA Signings: CJ Gardner Johnson (CB/S), Demario Davis (LB), Devin Duvernay (WR), Elijah Hicks (S), Jonathan Owens (S), Jordan McFadden (G)

Draft:

Please note, I expect to receive the compensatory picks for Cunningham.

1.25 - Peter Woods (DT)

2.57 - Jacob Rodriguez (LB)

2.60 - Zakee Wheatley (S)

3.89 - Dominique Orange (DT)

3.102 - Demond Claiborne (RB)

4.129 - Tristan Leigh (OT)

7.238 - Pat Coogan (C)

7.240 - Nate Boerkircher (TE)

Starting 53:

Offense:

Position	Starter	Backup	2nd Backup
QB	Caleb Williams	Tyson Bagent
RB	Kyle Monangai	Demond Claiborne	Travis Homer
WR	Luther Burden	Devin Duvernay
WR	Rome Odunze	Jahdae Walker
TE	Colston Loveland	Cole Kmet	Nate Boerkircher
LT	Jamaree Salyer	Tristan Leigh	Ozzy Trapilo*
LG	Joe Thuney	Theo Benedet
C	Tyler Linderbaum	Luke Newman
RG	Jonah Jackon	Jordan McFadden
RT	Darnell Wright	Kiran Amegadije

Defense:

Position	Starter	Backup	2nd Backup
LDT	Peter Woods	Gervon Dexter
RDT	Grady Jarrett	Dominique Orange	Shemar Turner*
LDE	Montez Sweat	Joe Tryon-Shoyinka	Dayo Odeyingbo*
RDE	AJ Epenesa	Austin Booker
WLB	D'Marco Jackson
MLB	Jacob Rodriguez	TJ Edwards*
SLB	Demario Davis	Reuben Hypollite II
LCB	Jaylon Johnson	Zah Frazier	Josh Blackwell
RCB	Tyrique Stevenson	Terrell Smith
Nickel	Kyler Gordon	CJ Gardner-Johnson
FS	Zakee Wheatley	Elijah Hicks
SS	Kam Curl	Jonathan Owens

Special Teams:

Position	Starter
Kicker	Cairo Santos
Punter	Tory Taylor
LS	Scott Daly

Any remaining slots on the 53 would likely be filled with UDFA/Veteran Camp signings, particularly at WR. Bears hope Coogan makes it to the PS, and consider re-signing OZ if he takes vet minimum.

I'm probably going to be wrong about all of this - but hey, offseason adventures are fun, especially when this team is more than worth rooting for again.