NEWSLETTER
Another offseason of change is upon us. And with that comes the reality that some familiar faces we’ve grown accustomed to seeing on the Chicago Bears will be on their way out the door. That is the reality of the business of the NFL.
The latest news from the Bears reminds us of the business side, as they shared the news of the Eddie Jackson and Cody Whitehair cuts:
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to break the news of Whitehair’s cut. Minutes later, the Bears announced that Jackson was also let go. It is a bit jarring to see the team part ways with both players. Whitehair had been with the Bears since 2016. Meanwhile, Jackson has been with Chicago since 2017. Both players were integral parts of the team’s last competitive cycle. Unfortunately, neither player was playing at the peak of their powers last year. Hence, Bears upper management likely felt now was the time to move on.
Why did the Bears cut Eddie Jackson and Cody Whitehair?
To be brief: It is a money thing. To be a little more than brief, the combination of cash, costs, and recent player performance played a role in the Bears’ decision to release both players.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reports that two had combined salary cap numbers of about $32 million. The Bears, who already had the ninth-most space under the projected 2024 salary cap, cleared more space under the cap with these moves. After the cuts, Over The Cap estimates the Bears are now $66,996,157 under the 2024 salary cap. Those cuts put Chicago as having the third-most cap space in the league. Only the Washington Commanders ($73.649 million) and Tennessee Titans ($67.770 million) have more space under the cap. In short, the Bears are in a tremendous position to spend freely and smartly this offseason.
And yet, I can’t help but think about how they’ll be doing it without two long-time pieces of the puzzle. Those two players had to suffer through some lean years. Whitehair played for three different head coaches, four offensive coordinators, and 15 quarterbacks. As for Jackson, he had five different defensive play callers during his time with the Bears. Those two dudes had to play through more losing seasons than winning seasons. So while I can sit here and discuss the arrow as pointing up for the Bears, I’ll do so while noting that two guys who had to deal with a lot of losing won’t get to be a part of the action when this thing turns over.
But that’s the way the business side of the NFL works. It can be cold and cruel. With that being said, I wish both players the best in their future endeavors. Once a Bear, always a Bear.
