7 High-Profile Chicago Bears Who Could Get Cut During the 2027 NFL Offseason

The Chicago Bears didn't have much financial flexibility this year, which led to what was ultimately an OK but not great offseason.

Things could be very different in 2027, though, as the Bears have a total of seven high-profile players who will be in the final years of their respective contracts and could get cut to open up significant sums of money.

Here's a look at who those seven players are and the reasons why they could get released during the 2027 NFL offseason.

Note: All cap figures are for 2027 and are courtesy of Over The Cap.

Montez Sweat

Cap hit: $25 million
Dead money: $4 million
Cap savings: $21 million

Sweat is coming off one of his most productive seasons with 10 sacks in 2025 and he is crucial to the Bears' defensive success this coming season, and that's especially true with all of the uncertainty across from him.

But that doesn't mean he's a lock to avoid being a cap casualty in 2027. If Sweat reverts closer to his 2024 numbers (5.5 sacks), it's conceivable Chicago could cut ties with him for what would be a significant cap savings next offseason.

Jaylon Johnson

Cap hit: $25 million
Dead money: $9 million
Cap savings: $16 million

Johnson's 2025 season was very disappointing. Not only did he miss more than half of the season because of injury, he also did not play up to his standards when on the field.

Like Sweat, Johnson is pivotal to Chicago's defense as its clear-cut No. 1 cornerback, but he's going to have to bounce back in 2026 in order to justify keeping his contract on the books.

Joe Thuney

Cap hit: $21.5 million
Dead money: $5 million
Cap savings: $16.5 million

Thuney once again proved he's an elite offensive lineman last season after earning his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl nod and finishing as the highest-graded guard in pass protection, according to Pro Football Focus.

However, Thuney is also set to turn 34 in November and there is a chance he begins his decline. If that happens, the Bears would be hard-pressed to pass up on clearing his contract off the books to save what would be a significant sum of money.

Dayo Odeyingbo

Cap hit: $19.5 million
Dead money: $4.5 million
Cap savings: $15 million

Odeyingbo might have gotten cut this offseason if not for his contract that had no clean out. The veteran posted just a single sack in eight games last season before suffering a torn Achilles.

Because he's coming back from that significant injury, and based on his recent production, it's hard to have faith in a bounce-back season from Odeyingbo. If he falls short, Chicago will end this experiment after two years.

Grady Jarrett

Cap hit: $17.5 million
Dead money: $4 million
Cap savings: $13.5 million

Jarrett's first season in Chicago did not go as planned. He battled a knee injury that forced him to miss three games and posted just 1.5 sacks and was a sieve against the run, as evidenced by Jarrett's putrid 44.5 PFF run defense grade.

Jarrett turned 33 in April and that only adds to the concern about his ability to return to form in 2026. The two-time Pro Bowler has a lot to prove in order to avoid getting the boot next offseason.

T.J. Edwards

Cap hit: $10.8 million
Dead money: $2.3 million
Cap savings: $8.5 million

Edwards' 2025 season was plagued by injury. After missing seven games during the regular season, the veteran suffered a fractured fibula in the playoffs. When he was on the field, Edwards played at the level we've come to expect out of him.

But Edwards will also be 30 next month and there is a chance we see a drop-off in his play. Edwards is more likely to stick around than most of these cut candidates because he'll have a pretty reasonable cap hit, but we wouldn't rule out his release, either.

Cole Kmet

Cap hit: $15.4 million
Dead money: $5.4 million
Cap savings: $10 million

Kmet was once ascending to the status of one of the better pass-catching tight ends in the league after posting a career-best 719 receiving yards in 2023, but his production has declined the last two years.

Now, the Bears have drafted Sam Roush, who we would assume is the future replacement for Kmet as Chicago's TE2. Kmet reworked his deal for 2026, and while that lowered his cap hit for this season it also increased his 2027 cap hit. If Roush can show he's ready for a bigger role next season, Kmet could be shown the door.

What about Kyler Gordon?

Chicago Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon (6) leaves the field after an NFL International Series game. — Chicago Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

On the surface, one would assume that if Gordon struggles with injury again in 2026 that he could be on the chopping block next offseason.

However, the numbers just don't add up to consider Gordon a cut candidate in that scenario, as the Bears wouldn't save a dime by releasing him.

The only logical avenue to unload Gordon's contract is to trade him. A pre-June 1 deal would incur a dead cap hit of $5 million while saving $8.3 million against the cap. A post-June 1 trade would lead to a $2.5 million dead cap hit and $10.8 million in savings.

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