How Tarik Cohen’s release impacts Bears’ salary cap in 2022 and beyond
The Bears are cutting running back Tarik Cohen, who becomes the first salary cap casualty of the offseason for new general manager Ryan Poles.
Cohen is being released with an injury designation, per Adam Schefter, as he still hasn’t passed a physical after suffering a torn ACL back in Week 3 of the 2020 season.
The move comes just one day after the Bears traded star pass rusher Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers for a 2022 second-round selection and a 2023 sixth-round pick.
But it’s a move that doesn’t come as a surprise after Cohen’s inability to get back on the field after his knee injury in 2020. Cohen signed a three-year extension worth $17.25 million before being lost for the season, and it’s a contract that Poles can’t justify with the uncertainty of Cohen’s status.
If Cohen’s release isn’t a post-June 1 cut, it’ll free up $2.25 million in cap savings and cost $3.5 million in dead money. That would put the Bears over $40 million in dead money for the 2022 season. If it is a post-June 1 cut, it would only cost Chicago $1.75 million in dead money and free up $4 million in cap space.
The Bears currently have around $32 million in cap space for the 2022 season with other potential cuts and free agency just around the corner.
But just like the Mack trade, this move isn’t about instant gratification. It’s about building for the future. Not only does it get another bad contract off the books in 2022, but it allows for more salary cap flexibility for the future.
Looking ahead to the 2023 season, the Bears get an additional $7.5 million in cap space, which moves their 2023 cap from $121 million to roughly $128.5 million for the 2023 season, per OverTheCap. Granted, there are only 17 players currently under contract in 2023. Still, it allows Poles the freedom to build his roster moving forward.
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