Things seem to be looking pretty for the Chicago Bears right now, as they just won the NFC North division title and captured a playoff victory.
Caleb Williams appears to have a very bright future in front of him, and Ben Johnson is one of the top head coaches in all of football. But are things not quite as rosy for the Bears as most fans might believe?
Chicago has been tabbed as the favorite to land Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, which is certainly exciting. But there are reasons to be concerned about whether or not acquiring Crosby would actually be in the team’s best long-term interest.
The Bears don’t have the friendliest salary cap situation, and they would probably have to surrender a pair of first-round draft picks to pry Crosby away from the Raiders.
Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic feels such a deal could be dangerous for Chicago.
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While there are plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about the Bears’ chances in 2026 (especially if they bag Crosby), Fishbain has thrown up some caution flags regarding the team’s roster construction.
“Those are not the most reliable players at this juncture, which is why edge rusher is high on any Bears wish list for the offseason, not to mention a force from the interior … oh, and a weakside linebacker, two safeties, maybe help at corner, a left tackle … you see where I’m going?” Fishbain wrote.
Throw center into the mix too now that Drew Dalman announced his sudden retirement.
Chicago is currently $7.5 million over the salary cap, and Crosby carries a $35.8 million cap hit for 2026. He is under contract through 2029 thanks to the three-year, $106.5 million extension he signed with Las Vegas last March, so if the Bears land the five-time Pro Bowler, they’ll be in it for the long haul, for better or for worse.
“But they will really need him to be a long-term star, while finding a way to still be above average across the board, to make sure that this isn’t just a home run for 2026,” Fishbain added.
Assuming Crosby is healthy (he underwent knee surgery over the winter), there is no question that the 28-year-old will make Chicago better next season. But given all of the other holes plaguing the roster, swinging a deal for the superstar pass rusher is definitely risky.
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