Chicago Bears
TightChicago Bears are carrying $49.8M in dead money this year — cap already spent on players no longer on the roster. They project $1.1M OVER the 2027 cap before signing a single player — restructures, extensions or cuts are required to get compliant. Real flexibility doesn't arrive until 2028 (projected +$227.4M), as current deals roll off. The decisions that shape it: Joe Thuney ($28.5M), Dayo Odeyingbo ($26.5M), Montez Sweat ($25.1M) top the 2027 book.
Cap trajectory
Projected space, next three years
2026+$9.2M
$300.2M committed
2027−$1.1M
$328.1M committed
2028+$227.4M
$124.6M committed
Space is OTC's projection against a projected future cap. Negative = over the line before any new signings.
Decision watch-list
Biggest 2027 cap hits
| Joe Thuney | $28.5M |
| Dayo Odeyingbo | $26.5M |
| Montez Sweat | $25.1M |
| Jaylon Johnson | $25.0M |
| Jonah Jackson | $23.8M |
| Grady Jarrett | $17.5M |
Ranked by cap hit — the contracts that drive the restructure-or-cut call. Per-player cut-savings math isn't modeled yet.