Let’s be real for a second. Being a Chicago Bears fan usually means two things: eternal hope for a franchise quarterback and a constant, low-grade headache from watching the front office hand out massive checks to players who don't always move the needle. It’s a tradition as old as deep-dish pizza. You see the alert on your phone—four years, $72 million—and you want to believe. You want to think this is the piece that finally fixes the "Monsters of the Midway" image.
But then the games actually start.
Fast forward to 2026, and the conversation around the Chicago Bears overpaid player list has shifted. While Caleb Williams is the face of the franchise on a rookie deal, the salary cap is being eaten alive by veterans who, honestly, are more "solid" than "superstar." If you’re paying top-five money, you expect top-five production. Instead, Chicago is often getting top-20 production at a premium price.
The Tremaine Edmunds Conundrum
When Ryan Poles signed Tremaine Edmunds back in 2023, it was a statement. He was supposed to be the Brian Urlacher of the modern era—a 6'5" freak of nature who could erase the middle of the field.
He's not a bad player. Not even close. But is he a $72 million game-changer? That’s where things get murky.
In 2025, Edmunds carried a cap hit of roughly $17.4 million. For that kind of cash, you want sacks, forced fumbles, and game-ending interceptions. What the Bears got instead was a lot of tackles. Tackles are great, but they don't always win games. If a linebacker is making a tackle ten yards downfield, did he really "stop" the play?
Why the Math Doesn't Add Up
- The Valuation: Over the Cap (OTC) recently valued his 2025 on-field performance closer to $7.3 million.
- The Comparison: T.J. Edwards, who plays right next to him, often produces similar (or better) stats for a fraction of the cost.
- The Dead Money: The reason he’s still here is basically the "dead cap" trap. Cutting him in 2025 would have been financial suicide.
That Massive Nate Davis Mistake
If we’re talking about a Chicago Bears overpaid player who actually left a scar on the roster, we have to talk about Nate Davis. This wasn't just a "he’s okay but expensive" situation. This was a "why is he even on the team?" situation.
The Bears signed Davis to a three-year, $30 million deal. He was supposed to stabilize the offensive line for Caleb Williams. Instead, he lost his starting job to Matt Pryor and eventually got released in late 2024. The Bears literally paid him millions of dollars just to go away.
That is the definition of "overpaid." When you’re paying a guy to play for someone else—or sit on his couch—the front office has failed. It’s a cautionary tale about chasing "average" starters in free agency and giving them "above-average" money.
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The Veterans Living on Past Glory
It’s easy to pick on the big contracts, but the roster is also littered with "middle-class" deals that haven't aged well.
Take Grady Jarrett, for instance. The Bears brought him in on a three-year, $42.75 million deal to provide a veteran presence. Now, Grady is a legend, but he’s 32. He’s coming off major injuries. While his leadership is valuable, $14 million a year is a lot of money for a guy who is part of a "rotation" rather than a dominant force who requires a double-team every snap.
Then there's Cole Kmet.
People love Cole. He’s a hometown kid. He’s tough. But with a $50 million extension on the books, and the team drafting Colston Loveland in 2025, you have to wonder if that money could have been spent better elsewhere. If Loveland becomes the primary receiving threat, Kmet becomes an extremely expensive blocking tight end.
The 2026 Cap Reality
Looking ahead to the 2026 season, the Bears are in a tight spot. Projections show them with very little effective cap space—some estimates even put them in the negative before they shed some weight.
- Montez Sweat: Cap hit of $25 million.
- D.J. Moore: Cap hit of $28.5 million.
- Jaylon Johnson: Cap hit of $25 million.
These three are the "Big Three" for a reason. They actually play like stars. The problem isn't paying your stars; it's paying the guys behind the stars as if they were stars.
What Most People Get Wrong About "Overpaid"
Most fans think "overpaid" means "bad."
It doesn't.
It’s about opportunity cost.
Every dollar given to an underperforming veteran is a dollar that can’t be used to protect Caleb Williams or find a second elite edge rusher to pair with Sweat. When the Bears overpay for a linebacker like Edmunds, they might be missing out on a top-tier offensive tackle in free agency.
NFL teams don't fail because they have bad players; they fail because they have inefficient contracts.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Offseason
If the Bears want to maximize their window while Caleb Williams is still on his rookie contract, they need to be ruthless. Here is what needs to happen to fix the "overpaid" culture:
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- The Edmunds Decision: By the start of the 2026 league year, the dead money on Tremaine Edmunds' contract drops significantly. Moving on or restructuring is no longer just an option; it's a necessity for cap health.
- Stop Overpaying for "Solid": The Nate Davis era should be a lesson. Don't pay $10M+ for guards who are 15th-best at their position. Draft them.
- The Tight End Pivot: If Colston Loveland is the future, the Bears must consider trading Cole Kmet while his value is still high.
- Incentive-Heavy Deals: For older veterans like Grady Jarrett, the front office needs to move toward "pay-as-you-play" structures rather than massive guaranteed sums.
The Chicago Bears are closer to a Super Bowl than they've been in a long time. But to get there, they have to stop being the team that makes agents rich and start being the team that makes rosters deep.