Chicago Bears Create $10.375M in Cap Space with 2 Restructures

TL;DR

The Chicago Bears restructured contracts for Cole Kmet and Jonah Jackson, creating $10.375 million in cap space. This move could facilitate a player trade or free agent signing ahead of the 2026 season.

Key points

Bears restructured contracts for Cole Kmet and Jonah Jackson
Created $10.375 million in cap space
Jackson's cap number reduced to $12.75 million for 2026
Kmet's cap number reduced to $7.775 million for 2026
Cap space may be used for trades or free agent signings

Chicago Bears

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 10: Cole Kmet #85 of the Chicago Bears lines up before the snap during an NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on January 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images According to Over The Cap, the Chicago Bears restructured the contracts of tight end Cole Kmet and right guard Jonah Jackson to free up $10.375 million in cap space. That’s about enough to cover their 2026 draft class, but since those guys aren’t normally signed immediately, they could be freeing up space for a player trade or a free agent. Here are the details of Jackson’s restructure from OTC.

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. Jackson’s final year under contract is 2027 so he will likely be extended next year if he has a good season in 2026. Jackson, who turned 29 in February, started all 17 games for the Bears in 2026 while helping solidify Chicago’s right side along with 2nd Team All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright. Here’s what OTC had for Kmet’s restructure. 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. 2027 is also Kmet’s final year under contract. Kmet just turned 27 last month, and with Ben Johnson’s penchant for 12 personnel, an extension for the Barrington, Illinois native beyond 2027 wouldn’t surprise me.

Q&A

How much cap space did the Chicago Bears create with the restructures?

The Chicago Bears created $10.375 million in cap space through the restructures of Cole Kmet and Jonah Jackson.

What are the details of Jonah Jackson's contract restructure?

Jonah Jackson's restructure involved converting $13.5 million of his salary into a bonus, reducing his cap number by $6.75 million to $12.75 million for 2026.

What could the Bears use the newly created cap space for?

The Bears could use the cap space to cover their 2026 draft class or potentially for a player trade or free agent signing.