Bears Grant LB Tremaine Edmunds Permission To Seek Trade

Edmunds, 27, has started 45 games in Chicago over the last three years. He arrived in 2023 as a replacement for Roquan Smith, who had been traded to the Ravens during the 2022 season. The Bears gave Edmunds a four-year, $72MM deal ($41.8MM fully guaranteed); his $18MM AAV ranks third among inside linebackers.

Originally the No. 16 pick by the Bills in 2018, Edmunds partnered with Matt Milano in the middle of Buffalo’s defense for the first five years of his career. He led the team in tackles in all but one year and earn Pro Bowl nods in 2019 and 2020.

Edmunds finished his time in Buffalo with 565 tackles (32 for loss), 35 passes defended, and five interceptions in 74 starts. He dealt with a few injuries but only missed eight games.

In Chicago, Edmunds played alongside T.J. Edwards and racked up 335 tackles (11 for loss), 24 passes defended, and nine interceptions in the last three years.

High-end inside linebacker play can be hard to find, so Edmunds could garner some interest on the trade market. He is one of two linebackers this century with at least 900 tackles and 50 passes defended before turning 28, per senior NFL researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno. The other is Luke Kuechly, who was recently elected into the Hall of Fame.

Edmunds’ size, athleticism, and youth are all major pluses; he has also improved as a tackler and in coverage throughout his career. The importance of experience and processing at the linebacker position also helps Edmunds’ value, as many veteran LBs get better with age.

However, Edmunds is owed $15MM next season, per OverTheCap. Since 2026 is the last year of his current contract, he may want an extension from a new team. That could be an obstacle to a trade, as teams may not want to pay him at the top of the linebacker market. They may also be waiting for the Bears to simply release Edmunds rather than use draft capital to acquire him and his pricey salary. Allowing a player to seek a trade is often a precursor for releasing that player as a cap casualty. Chicago would save $15MM against the 2026 salary cap with such a move with a $2.44MM dead cap charge.

The Bears would then have to find a replacement for Edmunds in the middle of their defense. Noah Sewell and D’Marco Jackson – who both played over 300 snaps in 2025, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required) – will likely compete for the starting job next to Edwards.