The Chicago Bears are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs. But, there's still a lot of hope.
They've made it over the hump and are now a playoff team that the NFL will expect back in contention for years to come. It's a great time to be a Bears fan, but there is one issue: they are struggling with cap space.
Some tough decisions are going to have to be made going forward, and one of those decisions might be with cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Spotrac.com projects Stevenson to land an $80 million extension, which, for the Bears, would be some concerning news.
Bears' Tyrique Stevenson's $80M contract projection is concerning news
Stevenson is under contract for the 2026 season, so the Bears will have some time to make a decision on what to do with the young cornerback.
He's 25 years old, and in his three seasons in the NFL, has seven interceptions, 38 passes defended, five forced fumbles, and 213 combined tackles.
The 2023 second-rounder will be in Chicago on a cheap deal in 2026, but he will be a free agent after that and will cost a ton to re-sign.
This $80 million, four-year contract extension projection wouldn't be cheap. And with Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard III, and Nahshon Wright all being free agents this offseason, the calculus for the defensive backfield will be tricky.
More: Bears' list of 2026 NFL draft picks, free agents and cap space going into offseason
Stevenson will be on the team in 2026, but beyond that, the Bears will have a difficult time determining who to re-sign and for how much.
Spotrac projects Stevenson to land an $80 million extension, whether it's this offseason or next offseason. That figure will be important for the Bears, as it's a benchmark to work with as they determine how to manage the trio of DB's hitting free agency this year.
Ryan Poles has a lot of work to do this offseason, and the future extension of Stevenson might be in play for the Bears. While it's not the top priority, it's something that needs to be considered when making roster moves this offseason.
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