Three potential cuts for the Chicago Bears

It can be argued no team is in better financial shape heading into 2023 than the Chicago Bears, whose $98.63 million in cap space is the most of any team next season. While the Bears don’t exactly need to make a round of cuts to be cap compliant, they could still save some money by trimming some fat from their roster.

Below are three potential players the Bears could cut to create more cap space:

Al-Qadin Muhamad, defensive end

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus was familiar with Muhamad from their days together in Indianapolis. But the production Chicago got from the 27-year-old defensive end was far below his usual output with the Colts.

His 19 pressures were third-most on the team, but he averaged just one hurry per game and ended 2022 with one sack and two quarterback hits. With a cap number near $4.5 million, Muhamad grossly underperformed relative to his contract. 

Trevis Gipson and Domonique Robinson both outperformed Muhamad and have proven to be solid options should the team release him. Cutting Muhamad would only result in $500,000 in dead money but would save $3.96 million.

Lucas Patrick, guard

The 29-year-old guard’s first season in Chicago didn’t go according to plan as Patrick was limited to just seven games while battling a foot injury that required season-ending surgery. 

When he was on the field, he had mixed results, allowing 16 pressures, 12 hurries and two sacks on just 269 offensive snaps. For comparison, Cody Whitehair and Teven Jenkins combined for 1,237 offensive snaps and allowed just 26 pressures, 19 pressures and six sacks.

With Whitehair and Jenkins both under contract in 2023, it appears both guard positions are locked down, making Patrick expendable. It’ll cost the Bears $1.48 million in dead money to cut Patrick, but they’d save $3.9 million.

Cairo Santos, kicker

A $4.5 million cap hit is awfully high for a kicker, especially one as wildly inconsistent as Santos is beyond chip-shot range (he’s made just 74.7 percent of his kicks from 40 yards or more).

Though Santos has made 90.5 percent of his field goals in his three seasons in Chicago, kickers are a dime a dozen and one can presumably be had for much cheaper through the draft or via free agency.

Cutting Santos pre-June 1 will result in $1.5 million in dead money but save $3 million. A release post-June 1 will only have a $500,000 hit in dead money and save $4 million.