The Chicago Bears made their extension of linebacker TJ Edwards official on Thursday, announcing the two-year deal worth $20 million with $16.6 million guaranteed. He became the second defensive starter to receive a contract extension after the Bears locked up cornerback Kyler Gordon with a three-year deal a few days earlier.
Edwards signed with the Bears as a free agent during the 2023 NFL offseason for three years and $19.5 million after breaking through with the Philadelphia Eagles and quickly made an impact on defense. The local product was one of Chicago’s key defenders in 2023, racking up 91 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, and one forced fumble.
In 2024, Edwards’ value to the team increased as he was named a season-long captain prior to Week 1. His production dipped from the prior season, though, as he notched 79 solo tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble. Still, Edwards proved to be one of general manager Ryan Poles’ best free agent acquisitions and will continue to make plays under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Here is our initial grade of the deal:
Signing details
- Two-year deal worth $20 million with $16.6 million guaranteed
Initial grade: C+
When the Bears signed Edwards right as free agency opened back in 2023, I said it would be one of Poles’ best signings as the general manager. The deal was extremely team-friendly, and Edwards looked like an impressive playmaker, reminding some fans of the days when Lance Briggs would play the weak-side linebacker position. Going into last offseason, it made sense for the Bears to try and tack a few more years onto Edwards’ deal. So now that it happened, why am I not as excited about it?
When looking back at the 2024 season, there was plenty that went wrong for the Bears defense as the weeks went on. Injuries and questionable coaching decisions played a role in the slow yet methodical implosion of the unit, but some players also didn’t seem like they were playing their best. Edwards was one of them. He looked a step slower during the second half of the season than he did in 2023, and even a few months earlier. His PFF grade dropped 20 points from 2023 (80.2) to 2024 (60.7). Edwards rarely came off the field for the Bears, and while that’s a testament to his durability, it also puts miles on his body that could cause his impact to diminish quicker than anticipated.
Many Bears fans are thrilled that Edwards is staying in Chicago for a few more seasons. He plays hard, he’s a local product, and he plays linebacker for a team that is known for legends at the position. He gets a deserved pay bump from $6.5 per year to $10. The contract is only through the 2027 season, but the guarantees are likely to last only through 2026, depending on how the deal is structured.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a bad contract. It’s just not great. It feels like the Bears could have given him more money for the 2025 season and extended him through 2026 instead. Perhaps I’m still scarred from the Danny Trevathan and Nick Kwiatkoski debates back in 2019 when both players were looking for extensions and neither one panned out in the slightest. Unlike Trevathan, though, Edwards isn’t coming off injury and is signed for one less year.
Ryan Poles, Ben Johnson, and Dennis Allen clearly all believe in Edwards and don’t want to lose him yet. He’s a team leader and someone who is considered a core member of the defense. And perhaps he might have additional value as he sees reps at middle linebacker in 2025, something Allen has alluded to.
If Edwards looks like his 2023 self again, then this deal looks very good. At 29 years old when the season begins, he will be near the top 15 in average money per year at his position, which would be fair value. If he’s closer to the player we saw at the end of 2024, there will be some buyer’s remorse, and Edwards will appear overpaid for the first time in his career. There are multiple factors that will dictate how everything plays out, but it shouldn’t take long to figure out which linebacker the Bears will have for the season.