The Chicago Bears are parting ways with left tackle Charles Leno Jr., according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Leno had a $11.3 million cap hit for the 2020 season. According to Rapoport, the move will be designated a post-June 1 cut, which will free up $9 million in cap space with only $2.3 million in dead money for a Bears team that was just over $400,000 in cap space heading into the 2021 NFL draft.
Chicago traded up to draft Oklahoma State offensive tackle Teven Jenkins with the 39th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Throughout the weekend, GM Ryan Pace wouldn’t rule out Jenkins playing on the left or right side, given Jenkins’ experience playing both right tackle and left tackle.
Now, according to Rapoport, the plan is to play Jenkins at left tackle.
Along with the #Bears drafting future LT Teven Jenkins, Chicago also took OL Larry Borom in the 5th. In a year where everyone is tight against the cap and forced to make tough financial decisions, the Bears save $9M with this move. It will be a post-June 1 cut. https://t.co/2yCxjTi1yI
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 3, 2021
The Bears have now parted ways with both of their starting tackles from a season ago. Earlier this offseason, Chicago released right tackle Bobby Massie.
With Jenkins kicking over to left tackle, it sounds like it’ll be Germain Ifedi, Elijah Wilkinson and rookie Larry Borom battling for the right tackle job.
