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The Chicago Bears were facing a serious financial crunch heading into the final stretch of the 2026 offseason, sitting roughly $12 million over the salary cap. This left general manager Ryan Poles with an urgent need to maneuver just to get the team compliant before the regular season. The front office found a solution just ahead of Chicago’s season opener against the Carolina Panthers, clearing vital breathing room without touching the roster itself. Bears restructure three deals to free up $17M According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Bears just cleared roughly $17 million in cap space by restructuring the contracts of guard Joe Thuney, defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, and linebacker T.J. Edwards. It officially pulls Chicago out of the red and gives them some actual spending money for the next four months of the season. The Bears have restructured the contracts of G Joe Thuney, DE Dayo Odeyingbo and LB TJ Edwards, creating ~$17M in 2026 salary cap space. — Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 4, 2026 Chicago’s front office has been busy recently shuffling the bottom of the roster, like when they brought in veteran pass rusher Marcus Davenport a few weeks ago, cut him during the final 53-player trim, and then immediately brought him back on the practice squad. This continuous change in decisions makes the lack of depth on the defensive line visible, where Poles might spend this extra cap space. ESPN’s Dan Graziano flagged the defensive front as the true priority area, noting that the team is still hunting for a strong edge presence. “Chicago is thin on defense, especially on the back end. But it’s up front where the team is still looking for a strong edge presence opposite Montez Sweat,” Graziano wrote. “The Bears added veteran Marcus Davenport a couple of weeks ago, but that move doesn’t appear to be working out; they let Davenport go in their initial cut down to 53 players over the weekend before bringing him back on the practice squad.” Nothing about the restructures guarantees a trade. But with Poles now sitting on extra room and a clear need at edge rusher, the Bears have put themselves in position to move if the right piece becomes available before the November deadline. More NFL News: - “I Gave up Everything”: Colin Kaepernick Teases Release of His Story in New Book - Las Vegas Raiders: Exciting 3rd-Round Pick’s Brutal Injury Revealed - Mike Tomlin Says Mike McCarthy’s History With Aaron Rodgers Could Pay Off in Pittsburgh - “Do You Regret It” Colin Kaepernick Gives Shocking Answer On Kneeling During The National Anthem 10 Years Ago