General manager Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears drew attention with their set of decisions on a trio of players–Dayo Odeyingbo, Joe Thuney, and T.J. Edwards–converting some of their base salary into roster bonuses to create “~$17M” in additional room, per ESPN’s Field Yates on September 4.
We now have even more details about how the Bears went about creating that cap space with those three players.
Sportac’s Michael Ginnitti provided the additional context on X on September 5:
- $14M of Joe Thuney’s salary into signing bonus, creating $7M of space.
- $14M of Dayo Odeyingbo’s salary into signing bonus, creating $7M of space.
- $6.75M of T.J. Edwards’ salary into signing bonus, creating $3.3M of space.
“A typical contract restructure is when a team converts part of a player’s base salary (or a roster bonus) into a signing bonus to create immediate cap relief,” the NFL clarifies in its operations guide. “This does, however, increase the player’s yearly cap hits thereafter by pushing more dead money into future years.”
Bears Vision Taking Shape Amid Change of Plans With Super Bowl Champion, Others
Bears Kick Can Down Road on Joe Thuney, T.J. Edwards, and Dayo Odeyingbo
Edwards is entering his fourth season with the Bears. This is the third time Bears general manager Ryans Poles and the front office have addressed Edwards’ contract, including his original signing in free agency during the 2023 offseason.
He initially signed a three-year, $19.5 million contract. The Bears then signed Edwards to a two-year, $20 million extension in April 2025.
With this latest conversion, Edwards’ cap hit in 2026 is now $7.4 million.
It is slated to balloon to $14.2 million in 2027, while the Bears can cut ties with him during the 2027 offseason, saving $8.5 million with $5.7 million in dead money via a post-June 1 designation. Their books would be clear by 2028 in that scenario.
Thuney (trade, Kansas City Chiefs) and Odeyingbo (free agency) are both entering their second seasons with the Bears.
Like Edwards, Thuney and Odeyingbo are signed through the 2027 season.
The Bears extended Thuney with a two-year, $35 million agreement while he was on a five-year, $80 million pact. The four-time Super Bowl champion now has cap hits of $14.5 million in 2026 and $28.5 million in 2028.
Again, though, the Bears can cut ties with him in 2027, saving $16.5 million with $12 million in dead money in 2027 and none in 2028.
Odeyingbo is on a three-year, $48 million pact.
Odeyingbo’s cap hit will rise from $13.5 million in 2026 to $26.5 in 2026. But the Bears can part with him in 2027 (again, post-June 1), incurring an $11.5 million dead cap hit, but also saving $15 million in the process.
Bears Set Up 2027 Bloodletting
If nothing else, the Bears have set the stage to provide themselves with some additional breathing room next offseason.
On balance, the Bears can clear up another $10.8 million in cap space by cutting ties with Edwards, Odeyingbo, and Thuney next offseason, though there is no guarantees the Bears have designs on doing that.
Spotrac has the Bears with $4.5 million as of September 5 and $11.7 million in 2027.
Poles and the Bears are also planning accordingly for a potential extension for quarterback Caleb Williams, who will be eligible during the 2027 offseason. That will reshape their roster strategy a great deal and in a way the Bears have never before experienced.
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