The Chicago Bears began cleaning up their 2024 roster today by making two expected veteran releases to open up a big chunk of cap space for the year.

Safety Eddie Jackson was entering the final year of a four year, $58.4 million extension signed in 2020 that made him the highest paid safety in the NFL at the time. Jackson has battled some injuries the last two years but still played 12 games in each season. Jackson was set to count $18.14 million against the Bears salary cap this year and releasing him will save the team $12.56 million in cap room. Jackson will leave the team with $5.58 million in dead money.

Offensive lineman Cody Whitehair has a nice run with the Bears starting every game he played in from 2016 to 2022 before losing his starting job in 2023. Whitehair had signed a five year extension worth $51.25 million with the Bears in 2019. Whitehair was also in the final year of his contract and was going to count for $13.25 million on the cap. His release saves the team $9.15 million in cap room, leaving behind $4.1 million in dead money.

The combined savings from the two players have moved the Bears to an estimated $67M in cap room. They currently rank 3rd in the NFL in projected cap room.