The Chicago Bears are cleaning up their roster and releasing two veteran professionals and Pro Bowlers within their own ranks.
Upheaval at the Chicago Bears: As the NFL team announced, they have released two veterans. Affected by the roster cut are safety Eddie Jackson and guard Cody Whitehair.
The two professionals were the two players who had been in the Bears’ ranks the longest.
NFL: Chicago Bears save money
Whitehair, 31, was drafted by the Bears in the second round in 2016 and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2018. He started in a total of 118 NFL games. After Week 6, however, he was ched for the first time in 2023.
The cuts save the Bears an estimated $21.5 million on the 2024 salary cap. The team now enters the offseason with the third-most cap space of all teams. Interesting: The Bears no longer have their own draft pick in the roster that was taken before 2020.
Whitehair thanked the team, his teammates and the fans via social media. “I would like to sincerely thank the Chicago Bears for giving me the opportunity to play for such a historic franchise,” he wrote on X.
Exciting offseason for the Chicago Bears
Two-time Pro Bowler Jackson, who had been with the Bears since 2017, was a starter in all 118 games. He was even voted All Pro in 2018.
However, a foot injury slowed him down over the past three seasons. The 30-year-old has 15 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles and 459 tackles in his career. His six defensive touchdowns rank third in Bears franchise history.
Chicago is heading into a landmark offseason this year. The team has the first pick in the 2024 draft and the big question is: What’s next for quarterback Justin Fields? A fresh start would be possible with top prospect Cale Williams (USC).