The Chicago Bears entered the 2025 offseason needing to find three starters on the offensive line and potentially four upgrades, depending on how the general manager wants to attack the left tackle position.
The offensive line appeared to be the main need for the Bears, with the defensive line coming in at a close second. Then on Friday, Chicago announced they were releasing starting defensive end DeMarcus Walker.
The Bears cut Walker with tight end Gerald Everett to save $10.75 million before free agency.
Many assumed the Bears could take some of the cap and use it to replace Walker. Philadelphia Eagles DE Josh Sweat is headed to free agency. The Los Angeles Chargers could make Joey Bosa a cap cut. Myles Garrett has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns.
The Chicago Bears are focusing on the offensive line
During his appearance Monday on 670 The Score‘s “Mully & Hugh Show,” Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes the Bears will focus on fixing the offensive line in free agency despite cutting their starting defensive end on Friday.
“Well, I think they had enough money to sign pretty much whoever they want before these moves, depending on how it’s structured,” Biggs said of the Bears’ cap situation before they cut Everett and Walker. “And I don’t want to minimize what they’ve got to get done on that defensive line, both in terms of on the interior and at the edge.
“But guys, let’s not get too far away from the offensive line store, which is where they need to be shopping come March 12th when free agency opens. That’s like when the offensive line store opens at 3 o’clock on March 12th, that Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson, they need to be walking in the front door there. There’s no e-commerce. They need to show up in person at the offensive line.”
DeMarcus Walker wasn’t viewed as a starter anyway
That doesn’t mean Poles won’t address the defensive line free agency or the draft. But the Bears’ decision to cut Walker isn’t going to cause the front office to change their strategy for the offseason.
Chicago cut Walker because he didn’t provide enough value as a starter. The Bears needed to find another starter to put opposite of Montez Sweat regardless of whether they kept Walker on the roster.
