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General Manager Ryan Poles might have overspent on LB Tremaine Edmunds.
Hindsight is always 20/20, as the saying goes, but if the Chicago Bears could hop in a time machine and head back to 2023, would they still pay Tremaine Edmunds all that money?
In March of 2023, the Bears signed Edmunds a four-year, $72 million deal with $50 million guaranteed, making him one of the highest-paid inside linebackers in the league. His $18 million annual salary is currently third in the NFL behind Roquan Smith and Fred Warner.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report ranked the 10 “worst contracts” in the NFL, and he has Edmunds at No. 5. Three quarterbacks (Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys and Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns) and an offensive lineman (the Tennessee Titans‘ Dan Moore Jr.) were the only players ranked higher.
“Edmunds, a 2018 first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills, was a two-time Pro Bowler in Buffalo before the Chicago Bears signed him to a hefty contract in 2023 free agency,” Knox wrote on June 12.
“Now, Edmunds hasn’t been a complete bust for the Bears. He’s topped 100 tackles in each of his two seasons with the franchise while allowing an opposing passer rating below 90.0 in coverage. He has certainly had his moments. Edmunds has not, however, been a Pro Bowl-caliber player or helped turn Chicago’s defense into a top unit. Pro Football Focus graded Edmunds as the league’s 119th-best linebacker overall for the 2024 season.”
Edmunds Hasn’t Taken a Step Up After His Time in Buffalo
GettySome believe Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds has one of the worst contracts in the NFL.
In his first season with Chicago, Edmunds proved durable, starting 15 games and finishing with 113 total tackles (69 solo, five for loss), four passes defensed, one interception (returned 45 yards for a touchdown), a forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
In 2024, he started every game (17), amassing 110 tackles (60 solo), eight passes defensed, a sack and a forced fumble.
The thing is, Edmunds was originally brought in because he fit well in former defensive-minded head coach Matt Eberflus’ scheme. But the Bears have since fired Eberflus and brought in the offensive-minded Ben Johnson. Thus, Edmunds will have a ton to prove in 2025.
Part of the problem has been his lack of splash plays. Edmunds has just 1.0 sacks over his two seasons in Chicago. He has hauled in five interceptions in that span, which is solid, but he hasn’t been as disruptive as Chicago would like him to be. He has just two QB hits and five hurries in two years with the Bears.
Does Chicago Bears LB Tremaine Edmunds Have One of NFL’s Worst Contracts?
It’s fair to criticize Edmunds’ contract based on his play thus far. If he elevates his game in 2025, he could quiet some haters.
“Edmunds has been good but not great when at his best for the Bears,” Knox noted. “In return, Chicago is paying the 27-year-old as if he was an All-Pro-level off-ball linebacker. … The silver lining here is that Chicago can cut the final year of Edmunds’ deal next offseason and save $15 million in cap space while absorbing just $2.4 million in dead money.”
PFF has Edmunds ranked in the bottom half or lower among interior LBs in coverage, pass rush, and run defense—and those are generally things a top-tier $18 million LB should excel at.
Frankly, at $72 million over four years, he should be one of the NFL’s top‑five off‑ball linebackers, and he simply hasn’t been. While his tackle numbers are certainly respectable, they haven’t translated into anything too major outcomes-wise.
