SATURDAY: No 11th-hour trade ended up taking place. Fuller’s release became official Saturday. The Bears will save $11MM in cap space by cutting the seven-year veteran while incurring $9MM in dead money.
THURSDAY: An All-Pro cornerback is unexpectedly hitting the open market. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Bears are releasing veteran Kyle Fuller.
It sounds like the transaction was mostly a financial decision, with Rapoport noting that “this is Chicago’s only cut due to cap space.” ESPN’s Dianna Russini tweets that the Bears wanted Fuller to take a “very significant paycut,” but the player preferred to test the open market. The 29-year-old was due $14MM next season, and he had a pricey cap hit of $20MM.
The 2014 first-round pick became a fan favorite in Chicago, earning a pair of Pro Bowl appearances and one first-team All-Pro nod during his seven-year stint with the organization. Fuller departs the organization ranked fourth on the franchise’s all-time list in passes defended (82), and he’s ranked in the top-20 for tackles (390) and interceptions (19).
After getting his fifth-year option declined for the 2018 season, Fuller was slapped with the transition tag. He ended up inking a four-year, $56MM deal with the Packers, including $18MM guaranteed. The Bears matched the contract, keeping Fuller under contract through the 2021 season. Last offseason, the front office reworked the veteran’s contract. While the move saved the team $6.5MM at the time, it meant Fuller’s 2021 cap hit would jump from $18.5MM to $20MM.
While Fuller failed to earn his third-straight Pro Bowl nod, he still had a productive 2020 campaign. The cornerback started all 16 games for Chicago, compiling 65 tackles, eight passes defended, and one interception. He also started Chicago’s playoff loss to the Saints.
Fuller will surely be a popular target now that he’s hit free agency. William Jackson (Washington, three years, $42MM), Shaquill Griffin (Jaguars, three years, $40MM), and Patrick Peterson (Vikings, one year, $10MM) were among the top free agent cornerbacks heading into free agency. Cornerbacks like Xavier Rhodes and Kevin King remain unsigned.
Bears having a disaster of an offseason
When is a contract not a contract in the NFL?
Good player. I think Fuller gets 2 years 20 million with 12 guaranteed.
So basically they swap Fuller for Dalton. Any Bears fans think that’s a good idea?
Fuller would have been better at QB. Still shaking head..10 million for Andy.
I’d swap Dalton out for a roll of TP.
Only if it’s single ply.
and generic/store brand
As a bears fan, just rebuild. The front office is nothing short of a circus. Get what you can for some key players. Or simply SELL THE TEAM
Rebuild is the only smart move now. But instead they keep Pace, so it won’t happen for another year. Stupid ownership move keeping Pace and Nagy.
Sell off your assets this year, draft for the future, suck this year and get a QB in next years draft.
Exactly.
Joe Douglas on line 1.
SELL THE TEAM !
SELL THE TEAM, bears must stop goin to games stop purchasing merch because this is an embarrassment, Pace has no clue what he’s doing, mike Glennon Mitch trubisky chase Daniel Tyler bray Nick Foles and Andy dalton are the quarterbacks he has brought in as a gm, he has no clue
Did the Bears sign Stephon Gilmore and not tell anyone?
This is so damn hard to believe. I guess the Bears have just given up. I’m done with them until they get rid of Pace and Nagy. I’m for the 1st time glad I moved from Chicago. The grief there must be maddening!
Restructure Rodgers, Extend Adams & Smith and sign Fuller. It worked with Amos, pick this guy up now and fill the other holes in draft.
Packers are capped man, they have so many holes to fill I don’t see this as a possibility.
By extending Rodgers, Adams, Smith and releasing Lowry, they could easily for Fuller in.
They still have to sign a draft class
He’s going to Fangio in Denver.
Fuller will most likely sign with Green Bay, because it was their offer sheet the Bears matched. This move will only increase the possibility of Allen Robinson to not sign his tender offer and won’t play again next season unless he’s traded to a REAL organization.
Raiders could sure use robinson. I wonder if ruggs plus a pick would get it done
Ready to give up on Ruggs already, huh? FYI – he had more receiving yards than Davante Adams had in his rookie year. Adams turned out to be one of the best WR in the entire NFL. Try showing a little bit of patience instead of the immediate gratification mindset
We’re not reading Ruggs, calm down Tat
Trading
That was in 2018..Packers have only about 3 million in cap space.
Robinson signed his tender and Fuller is thankfully headed to Denver and not GB so say initial reports.
Sorry Denver is $29 MM under the cap.
Green Bay is still over the cap while Denver is still $27 MM under the cap.
Packers are not over the cap. Only the top 51 apply to cap.
Packers offer sheet was over 2 years ago. That has zero to do with any Packers interest now. It is not like the offer is still on the table
Please please please go to the Chargers.
What’s there cap space?
We have about $20 million left to spend when you account for the draft. We can get Fuller if we want to.
Denver is $29 MM under the cap.
Colts still have the cap space and would definitely welcome Fuller in. Imagine the defence with Bucktner, Leonard and Fuller.
Fuller is a #2 corner getting paid like a #1. He’s had 1 really good year in his career. 1 pick last year and teams do throw on him. He’s a good player but he’s replaceable.
I don’t like Dalton but Wilson or any elite QB wasn’t coming and not getting Watson may end up being a really good thing. The Bears were 8-8 last year again. I don’t quite get the dumping on doing things differently.
The bears just like the Cubs won’t win constantly until the team is sold to a owner the knows what they are doing. I’ve been on this earth as a bears fan for 43 years and we have yet to have a franchise QB .. It’s pretty sad that the last real Franchise QB was Sid Luckman.
I was like give Pace a chance but dang it why Fuller you suck Pace draft well or pack your bag ‘s you been lucky to stat as GM I like Nagy with Laser but that’s probation now you two PACE
McCaskiys sell the team don’t put us through another year like we will see this year draft well bum
I’m so hurt 1) Mitch is better than Daulton 2) Fuller one of the hardest hitters in the league 3) you better draft well ? Pace this could be /Strike 3 jerk
I’m a packer fan but I’m guessing they must need the cap space to make a big signing. If not I pity the Bears fans.
The issue: A young QB with upside (Mitch) has out performed Dalton yet they gave $13 mill to Dalton, which forced them to drop Fuller. Strange choice.
Let me get this straight: Trubiski signed for only 2.5 mil in Buff, while the Bears gave $13 to Dalton?
So they give $13 mill to Dalton, and they release Fuller who was owed $14 mill?
Last 4 yrs: Dalton has a lower completion % than Trubiski & lower TD to INT rate. What?
And I can’t imagine Dalton’s numbers will go UP in the dysfunction of Chicago…
Yea it is mind boggling
Now comes word that Akiem Hicks has received permission to seek a trade.
That’s a hell of an organization they’re running over there LOL
Pace makes a lot of bad moves and occasionally a good one but the Bears payroll has been heavily weighted to the defense for a number of years…maybe these moves on the defensive side signal getting younger on defense and adding $$ to the offensive side of the ball? Signing Galloway to pair with Robinson at WR would be the best Bears WR tandem in a long time, maybe ever. Even Dalton would look better throwing to those 2 along with Kemet and Graham.
I’m a pissed off fan fire Pace after the draft if he F’s up