The Bears parted ways with cornerback Prince Amukamara and receiver Taylor Gabriel on Friday, in order to free up some much-needed salary cap space this offseason.
It was the choice for general manager Ryan Pace, who recognizes that there’s a lot of work to do on the offensive side of the ball. Still, the Bears lost two solid players and high-character guys that will be missed. They also have holes to fill at cornerback and speedy receiver.
Here are five takeaways from Amukamara and Gabriel’s release:
1. The Bears cleared up salary cap space
When all is said and done, Amukamara and Gabriel were both solid free agent pickups for Ryan Pace. But with that said, cutting ties with them was something that Pace had to do.
The Bears had just $5 million in salary cap space for the 2020 season before making the decision to release Amukamara and Gabriel. Those cuts freed up an additional $13.5 million in cap space that will help the Bears this offseason.
While Amukamara was a solid player on Chicago’s defense, the Bears couldn’t justify the $9 million cap-hit he would’ve had in 2020. With the influx of young receivers the Bears have on their roster, parting ways with Gabriel made sense, especially as it saved Chicago an addition $4.5 million in cap space.
2. There’s a hole at cornerback the Bears must address
The decision to part ways with Amukamara wasn’t about his performance, rather the $9 million cap-hit he would’ve had on the Bears in 2020. Overall, Amukamara was a solid cornerback in his three seasons in Chicago.
But with Amukamara gone, the Bears have a hole they need to fill at the cornerback position opposite Pro Bowler Kyle Fuller. There are some in-house options currently on the roster, including Kevin Toliver and newly-acquired Tre Roberson. You expect both will get a chance to battle for the starting job in training camp. More than likely, the Bears will also target cornerback in free agency or the NFL Draft.
3. The Bears have a need for a speedy receiver to replace Gabriel
Like Amuakmara, Gabriel’s release from the Bears had to do with his salary cap hit of $4.5 million in 2020. But it also helps that Chicago has a slew of young talent at the receiver position, which made this an easier decision for Pace.
With Gabriel’s release, the Bears now have a need for a speedy receiver to add to that group. Chicago can certainly find a younger and cheaper option in free agency or the NFL Draft, which features several speedy receivers the Bears could target with one of their projected eight draft selections.
4. They won’t be the last cap-casualties this offseason
This offseason was always going to be a challenge for Pace when it comes to freeing up salary cap space. The Bears currently have roughly $27.1 million in salary cap space after cutting Amukamara and Gabriel, according to Over The Cap.
Amukamara and Gabriel might’ve been the first cap-casualties, but they likely won’t be the last. Pace has some decisions to make regarding other players, including outside linebacker Leonard Floyd (who’s due to make $13.2 million in 2020) and tight ends Adam Shaheen ($1.2 million) and Ben Braunecker ($1.4 million).
5. The Bears lost two high-character guys
The Bears aren’t just losing two solid players in Amukamara and Gabriel, they’re also losing two leaders and quality guys.
