Bears restructure OL Jonah Jackson and TE Cole Kmet's contracts

The Bears will gain $10.375 million in cap space in 2026.

The Bears converted $13.5 million of Jackson’s salary into a bonus, reducing his cap number by $6.75 million to $12.75 million. His cap number in 2027 now jumps to $23.75 million.

Kmet had $7.65 million of salary converted to a bonus reducing his cap number by $3.825 million to $7.775 million for the year. His cap number next season is now $15.425 million.

Jackson, 29, was a two-year starter at Rutgers before transferring to Ohio State, earning first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American honors.

The Lions traded up with the Colts to select him with the No. 75 pick in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He finished the final year of a four-year, $4,665,947 rookie contract that included a $1,048,559 signing bonus.

He was testing the free agent market for the first time in his career when he signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Rams.

From there, the Rams traded Jackson to the Bears in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick.

Chicago re-signed him to a one-year extension last off-season.

In 2025, Jackson appeared in and started all 17 games for the Bears at guard.