Bears’ path to acquiring another top edge rusher just got slightly easier thanks to latest NFL news
The projected 2026 salary cap just made the Bears upcoming dream a lot more possible.
The Chicago Bears have a big offseason ahead to add the remaining pieces to get this team over the hump and continue building on the success they had in Year 1 under Ben Johnson.
It’s no secret that the Bears intend to overhaul the defense this offseason and give defensive coordinator Dennis Allen new pieces that fit his vision for the unit and provide upgrades over what the defense had the season before.
The position on everyone’s mind is the edge rusher, with the majority of the fanbase hoping the Bears splurge on another top defensive end. At first, that seemed like wishful thinking given the financial limitations, but the dream became much more feasible thanks to the latest 2026 salary cap projections.
2026 NFL salary cap projections can help the Bears go after a top DE, if they so wish
The NFL informed teams last week that the 2026 salary cap was expected to fall between the range of $301.2 and $305.7 million per club. For context, the 2025 salary cap was $279.2 million.
With the new projections, the Bears are expected to be $9.6 million over the cap and need to be under the cap limit by March 11, when the new league year begins. The front office has multiple ways to do so, and can easily free up a large chunk of space by moving on from players such as linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and running back D’Andre Swift, and doing some restructures.
Doing so gives the Bears a lot more wiggle room and money to spend in free agency, or potentially explore trades, like the team did last season by acquiring Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson ahead of free agency. Would it be enough to go after another top pass rusher? Let’s break down the top-3 the Bears could consider making a move for.
Maxx Crosby
Crosby is the big name on everyone’s offseason wish list, but he’s easily the hardest for the Bears to justify financially. Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension last March with the Las Vegas Raiders, a deal that includes a $35.9 million cap hit for 2026. That would be Chicago’s highest cap charge this year if the Bears acquire him.
This doesn’t even include the draft picks that would be needed to trade for Crosby. However, if the Raiders agreed to include wide receiver DJ Moore in the package, the price could make it worth considering, but there’s a lot that goes into that. To me, it’d be a massive undertaking.
Trey Hendrickson
This one is a nice middle-ground option. Hendrickson is set to hit free agency after playing out the final season of a revised contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, so no trade would be required to bring him to Chicago.
The downside to Hendrickson is that he’s 31 years old, coming off an injury, and projected to have a market value of $25+ million per year, with multiple potential suitors who can easily drive that price up. A base salary of $25+ million would be the highest on the team if the Bears look to sign him.
Khalil Mack
This is a reunion I pushed for last offseason, but instead, the Bears ponied up to sign a potential breakout player in Dayo Odeyingbo, and we all know how that worked out. Mack instead re-signed with the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year, $18 million deal and is expected to have a similar market value this offseason.
Mack is also older (34) than the other two potential options mentioned above, but $18 million is much easier for the Bears to stomach. Pairing Mack on a one-year deal with a rookie edge rusher wouldn’t be a bad option by any means, and something the Bears could easily do.
Other edge rusher options in free agency
- Odafe Oweh
- Boye Mafe
- Azeez Ojulari
- Arnold Ebiketie
- Jaelan Phillips
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