What the Chicago Bears should do with 5 remaining big money playersTodd Welteron March 12, 2022 at 3:00 pm

Poles traded away Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers for a couple of draft picks and major salary cap relief next offseason. Poles then cut Tarik Cohen, Eddie Goldman, and is expected to release Danny Trevathan.

These were all necessary moves as the Chicago Bears now build around quarterback Justin Fields.

Mack was a force for the Chicago Bears but he also was hobbled by too many injuries. His contract was taking up too much salary cap space that the Bears needed to move on.

Cohen still cannot pass a physical after he tore his ACL in the 2020 season. Goldman regressed in 2021 after opting out of the 2020 season. Time caught up with Trevathan.

If the Chicago Bears really want to own the NFC North and never give it back, the roster needs an overhaul. That means acquiring more draft picks and freeing up salary-cap space.

According to Overthecap.com, the Chicago Bears currently have just under $30 million in cap space.

The Bears currently have just five players with a salary cap figure over $5 million dollars before free agency begins next week.

Poles does have to make some decisions on those five players