Chicago Bears release DE DeMarcus Walker, adding more cap space for this offseason
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The Chicago Bears are increasing their available cap space with veteran cuts, as the team released a veteran defensive lineman.
The Bears are releasing veteran defensive end DeMarcus Walker, the team announced on Friday.
This move will save the Bears over $5 million and is expected to push their available cap space to about $80 million.
What we know
The Bears are releasing one of the biggest signings from the Matt Eberflus era. Walker came to Chicago from Tennessee after he had a seven-sack season in 2022, and signed a three-year contract worth $21 million in the 2023 offseason.
With the Bears, Walker played two seasons and recorded seven sacks along with 77 total tackles. He had 3.5 sacks in each of his two seasons.
Walker's release saves the Bears $5 million, just as the move to release tight end Gerald Everett did earlier on Friday. That adds $10 million to the available cap space the Bears currently have for the 2025 offseason.
Free agency negotiations begin on March 10.
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What's next for the Chicago Bears
On the same afternoon, the Bears released a veteran tight end and a veteran pass rusher.
This was done in the name of saving money and increasing the team's cap space, but it also has a second development.
Without Everett and Walker, the Bears can now add tight end and defensive line to their list of offseason needs as they start to chart their priority list. The Bears already have vacancies on the entire interior of their offensive line.
Walker added experience and depth to the Bears' defensive line. That's something the team can replace in free agency, especially as a handful of available free agents this offseason have postseason experience. However, free agency isn't the first thing on the Bears' to-do list.
With the NFL Combine next week, the Bears have a chance to get a look at potential defensive linemen they can add opposite Montez Sweat to take attention away from the Bears' top pass rusher.