Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles locks up another cornerstone leader on the defense Dennis Allen is set to inherit
A few days after extending nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles rewards another defensive leader.According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Bears reached a two-year, $20 million extension with linebacker and 2024 team captain T.J. Edwards. Edwards had one year remaining on his 3 year, $19.5 million deal he signed with […]
A few days after extending nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles rewards another defensive leader.
According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Bears reached a two-year, $20 million extension with linebacker and 2024 team captain T.J. Edwards.
Edwards had one year remaining on his 3 year, $19.5 million deal he signed with his hometown team as a free agent in 2023, now he's locked up with the team through 2028.
When Edwards initially signed with the Bears, it only took one season for his contract to look like an absolute steal for the organization. Edwards posted career-highs in each of the last two seasons playing under former head coach Matt Eberflus and now will remain working in Chicago under new head coach Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Even with his new deal, Edwards is still a steal for the Bears. At $10 million annually, Edwards is tied for 14th among linebackers.
When Johnson was hired by the Bears back in January, Edwards was one of the handful of defensive players Johnson listed that stood out to him on the roster he was set to inherit. As was Gordon.
During the NFL League Meetings a few weeks ago, Poles noted that future extensions with existing players had to fit with the incoming staff. One week after offseason programs began, both Edwards and Gordon received new deals.
New Allen's scheme, Edwards is set to once again be a major factor in the middle of the field, coming off a season where he finished second on the team in tackles while playing 99% of the defensive snaps playing alongside Tremaine Edmunds.
Keeping a player like Edwards in the fold will be key for the turnaround in Chicago, not only because of his consistency on the field but because of his outspoken leadership off the field as well. During the tough stretch in 2024, Edwards continued to speak up about uniting together and helping create some motivation in the locker room.
“It was real," Edwards said back in November. "It was everyone understanding that what we’re doing right now isn’t good enough. It’s not to our standard… I think we needed that a little bit.”
Now with a new staff, culture, and level of accountability coming into the building in 2025, players like Edwards and Gordon won't be the only ones helping carry that message.
And as far as the rest of the locker room goes, the most important takeaway for the players moving forward after inking these last two deals is that if you work hard, you will be rewarded.
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