The 2025 NFL season has concluded with Super Bowl LX, and now the focus shifts to the 2026 offseason. For the Chicago Bears, they’ll be looking to shore up the roster for head coach Ben Johnson in free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Bears have some important roster moves to make this offseason, including with some in-house free agents — whether that’s re-signing some or filling holes left by departing players. Chicago has 27 players scheduled to become free agents in 2026 according to Over The Cap, including some key starters and contributors.
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There are some players who could very well sign a contract extension, including safeties Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, as well as cornerback Nahshon Wright and linebacker D’Marco Jackson, who all had big seasons with the Bears. But there are some big decisions to be made by general manager Ryan Poles about those players and the rest of the group of pending free agents.
Here’s a look at the Bears players set to hit the open market in free agency:
Bears 2026 free agents
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DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (Void)
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WR Olamide Zaccheaus (UFA)
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LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin (UFA)
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S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (UFA)
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DE Dominique Robinson (UFA)
When is 2026 free agency?
The 2026 free agency negotiation window begins March 9, where teams can negotiate with available players. The free agency period officially opens two days later on March 11.
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How much salary cap space do the Bears have?
The Bears are projected to be $5.3 million over the salary cap for the 2026 season, which is the 12th worst in the league. But Chicago will make some moves in regards to contract restructures and perhaps parting ways with some expensive veterans to free up cap space to make some moves this offseason.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears pending free agents: Who’s slated to hit the market in 2026
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