Mar 17: According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Edmunds’s new deal has a guaranteed amount of $36.8MM at signing that is composed of a $9.75MM signing bonus, his 2023 base salary of $2.4MM, his 2024 base salary of $14.9MM, and a 2023 roster bonus of $9.75MM. The remaining $13.2MM of guaranteed money is composed of $8.2MM of his $14.9MM 2025 base salary that will be due on the third league day of 2024 and a $5MM roster bonus due on the fifth league day of 2024.
Mar 13: The top off-ball linebacker is off the board. The Bears have entered the mix and will sign Tremaine Edmunds, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
After passing on a monster Roquan Smith extension, GM Ryan Poles will pay up big for Edmunds. The ex-Bills linebacker scored a four-year, $72MM deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. He secured $50MM guaranteed, Schefter adds, noting this is the biggest four-year deal given to an off-ball ‘backer.
This contract checks in just behind Smith’s in Baltimore but also falls just below — AAV-wise, that is — the pacts given to Shaquille Leonard and Fred Warner in 2021. For guarantees, however, Edmunds will only trail Smith, who secured $60MM in total guarantees from the Ravens.
Edmunds, a 2018 first-round pick, spent the first five seasons of his career in Buffalo, compiling at least 100 tackles in each of those campaigns and earning a pair of Pro Bowl nods. He continued being productive in 2022, finishing with 102 tackles in 13 games while finishing as Pro Football Focus’ fifth-best linebacker among 81 qualifiers. He also earned the best coverage score at his position.
Despite his production, it didn’t sound like Edmunds was long for Buffalo. While the organization obviously made an attempt to re-sign the linebacker, it sounds like they’re confident pairing a cheaper off-ball linebacker to play alongside strongside LB Matt Milano, including in-house options like Tyrel Dodson and/or Terrel Bernard. Plus, it sounds like both the Bills and Edmunds were anticipating a deal that would ultimately be too pricey for the organization. Edmunds was far and away the best available free agent at his position, joining a grouping that includes Zach Cunningham, Lavonte David, Deion Jones, Denzel Perryman, and Germaine Pratt. Edmunds indicated that he was a flight risk when he discussed his impending free agency last month.
“I’m gonna let the process take shape,” Edmunds said in February. “Like, you know, they’ve been good to me, so I definitely say ‘thank you’ to the Bills for everything that they’ve done for me these last five years, but like I said, man, I’m…in the backseat.”
The Bears were willing to pony up, with the front office stealing another headline following a busy start to the offseason. Besides trading the number-one pick for a haul that included a pair of firsts and wideout D.J. Moore, the organization also signed linebacker T.J. Edwards to a three-year pact worth $19.5MM and guard Nate Davis to a three-year, $30MM deal.
Hate it
Why do you hate it?
On one hand, Edmunds is very young, very athletic, and just had his best season, while the Bears have plenty of money to throw at a defense that needs it, plus this isn’t a strong linebacker draft class. On the other hand, how often are teams glad they shelled out top dollar for off-ball linebackers?
He’s a good player but not worth that blockbuster deal. Serious overpay, but that has become the Chicago way…
I disagree. As far as the money numbers, they are what the market dictates. As far as his numbers, everything is pointing up. He will give them what Roquan Smith gave them for less money.
It has become the Chicago way??? ♂️ Guess you do not follow the team?
So a cheaper Ro’Quan Smith?
They actually got Edmunds and Edwards both for cheaper than Roquan
That’s not true though
True for total contract value but not in AAV.
He’s also significantly younger and no less talented.
A year less on the contract than Roquan. He also has a much shorter track record of playing well, while situated next to much more linebacking help.
The year less on the contract is a positive and not a negative. Tremaine Edwards has been as good as Roquan and for every bit as long as Roquan. Roquan played with as good or better linebackers than Tremaine did. Lastly Tremaine is a much better fit in this scheme.
I’m not saying this is a mistake of a contract, but only that last part you said is true.
All that I said is true. I don’t think you understand 1. how many tackles Roquan missed over the years, 2. How the Bears defense was designed to funnel offenses toward the MLB for most of the time Roquan was in Chicago, 3. How talented the linebacking corp was in Chicago until this season. 4. Tremaine is better in coverage than Roquan. 5. You must be only loooking at stats if you think he has been better for longer.
Edmunds wasn’t even the best linebacker on his own team.
Yes he was and by a long shot.
Maybe last year he was slightly better than Milano, but long shot is nonsense.
Milano is a really good player, but much of what Milano has been able to do is because of what Edmunds for him.I have watched a lot of Bills football and that’s very clear. That’s not a dig at Milano.
They definitely helped each other, but I think you have it backwards. Edmunds is more impressive athletically, but he misses a lot more plays than Milano.
Yeah of course he does. Athletic players miss more plays than less athletic guys do all the time because in order to miss plays you have to be in position to make them and athletic players can get into those positions easier and more often. Players like Edmunds do more to put players like Milano in position to make plays than vice versa.
That doesn’t explain why he’s worse in coverage, too. I don’t hate the signing, and I like how they’ve paired him with a savvy but much less athletically gifted linebacker, but you seem to be a Bears fan committed to loving it.
I actually don’t love it. But the idea that Roquan is significantly better is ridiculous. Or that Milano is better is even mote ridiculous. BTW Edmunds was the highest graded against the pass at the position so no he wasn’t worse than Milano.
According to whom? And last year was his best year by far. I don’t even like huge money contracts for off ball linebackers when they’re not coming off career years.
People who watch stats, not games, don’t understand you point (which is 100% true). Milano is a disruptor, Edmunds is more like an outfielder catching foul balls. Not a defensive threat…
If you catch a foul ball it’s still an out. Weird ass analogy.
Nowhere near as good if you watched his plays and not the stats. Most of his tackles came after the players got first-down yardage. Not very perceptive…
I watched a lot of Bills football. Edmunds states underbelly his value. Not oversell them. You clearly don’t understand what your eyes are seeing.
So far they’ve spent a lot of money. The front 7 is sturdier and the DB’s needed help. Looks like D Line will be a big priority in the draft. Edwards was somebody they needed and I asked for. Looks like some more cap cutting is gonna be done. Whitehair and others look gone.
Better to need linemen in this draft than linebackers or outside receivers.
The rich get richer
Thanks bears for spending a lot of cap on the least important position in football.
Signed, lions fans
You forgot the not very bright in front of lions fan
It may be the least important position if football but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. By the way Edwards deal was very cheap. Lastly maybe Lions Fans shouldn’t attempt to insult other teams.
Lions fans shouldn’t be insulting anyone.
Clearly chasing $ over a chance to win. Not a big loss, he has the worst reaction instincts and not a great tackler
Can’t blame the guy..he can chase a ring at the end of this contract..
What are you talking about? Did you even read his numbers??
I’m a Bills fan and haven’t missed a game in years. He’s atrocious against the run, the Bills play out of a base nickel so it’s not like Edmunds was covering WR’s.
So he is atrocious against the run and wasn’t covering WR’s. Who was he tackling 100+ times a year? Just tight ends?
He made a lot of tackles 10-20 yards down the line. If there were a stat for “tackles after allowing a first down” or “tackles after being dragged 10 yards,” he’d be at the top of those lists.
Not a good contract yikes.
bears defense is bad and they have more money to spend than they could prob realistically spend in one offseason so i get the move. let’s go
Bears just trying to do anything to not be as bad as they were last year.
The offence got a huge Boost in DJ Moore, they will get better protection in the draft, now they are getting a really good defender.
Don’t think it’s going to turn them into a huge success but definitely won’t be as bad as previous years they way they are going
This is an overpay, and I suspect the Bears know it. They can afford it.
And they are better now. Tremaine is a good player.
Id rather have Roquan though.
Edmunds + Edwards & a 2nd round pick for 24.5 million this season, or Roquon for 20 million.
I’ll take the former 10 times out of 10
Hilarious contract, but this is what bad teams have to do.
We will see. I will say this, I think this GM is far more in touch with his coach than the last regime in Chicago. If this guy was gotten it was because Eberflus feels he can help the team. My gut feeling is that the Bears are hoping Carter falls down to the 9th position, but if the guy is going to see jail time it does not matter when you pick him, its a bad pick.
Some mock drafts have the Bears taking Van Ness at 9. I don’t know if I like him or Murphy better if they decide to go defense. There is beef available for the interior D Line later, So now the choice for me is, Johnson, Skoronski, Van Ness, or Murphy. My personal preference is still Johnson. They do need a Pass Rushing DE badly, But not as badly as they need another Tackle. The Bears Wire mock has the Bears taking Schmitz the C from Minnesota 2nd and I would love that pick. Then next year they have 2 1st’s to get a stud Pass rusher.
Edmunds was the guy I thought the Raiders were going after in 2018 when they traded back. I couldn’t believe it when they took Miller. On more blown opportunity.