The Bears granted linebacker Tremaine Edmunds permission to seek a trade last week. It appears a deal has a realistic chance to come to fruition. Edmunds has “strong trade value,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. The Titans, Raiders and Giants all “like” the eight-year veteran, according to Fowler.
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Edmunds entered the NFL as the 16th overall pick of the Bills in 2018. As a 20-year-old rookie, Edmunds piled up 121 tackles, 12 passes defensed, two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions over 15 games as a full-time starter. That was the first in a long line of productive seasons for Edmunds, who has started for his entire career.
Now a two-time Pro Bowler, the 27-year-old Edmunds has exceeded 100 tackles in every one of his seasons. He has also notched 59 PDs, 14 picks and 8.5 sacks.
Edmunds may be coming off his final season in Chicago, which took him from Buffalo on a four-year, $72MM offer with $50MM guaranteed in March 2023. At the time, it was the largest four-year deal ever given to an off-ball linebacker. Edmunds stepped in for Roquan Smith, whom the Bears traded to the Ravens during the previous season.
Aside from full campaigns in 2019 and ’24, Edmunds has missed at least some time in every season. While Edmunds sat out a career-worst four games as a result of a groin injury in 2025, he still managed 112 tackles, nine PDs and four INTs. Pro Football Focus rated Edmunds 35th among 88 qualifying players at his position.
Edmunds’ loss would create a hole in the Bears’ defense next to T.J. Edwards. Noah Sewell is a potential in-house replacement, but D’Marco Jackson is a pending free agent. Whether via trade or release, escaping the last season of Edmunds’ contract would be favorable to Chicago’s cap situation. As things stand, the Bears are approximately $6.48MM in the red. Getting rid of Edmunds before June 1 would free up $15MM at the cost of just $2.44MM in dead money. If Edmunds is off the Bears’ roster by Day 5 of the league year, they’ll avoid paying him a $1MM roster bonus.
As for potential suitors, the Titans and Raiders rank top two in the league in spending space. Taking on Edmunds’ money would not be a problem for either. The Giants are only around $2.78MM under the cap, on the other hand.
Edmunds would already be the second significant offseason trade acquisition for the Titans, who sent defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat to the Jets for defensive end Jermaine Johnson last week. Edmunds and Johnson would give recently hired head coach Robert Saleh two new defensive starters right off the bat.
The Raiders are facing the departure of starting middle linebacker Elandon Roberts to free agency. Fellow LBs Devin White and Jamal Adams are also on track to reach the open market. Meanwhile, the Giants may lose pending free agent Micah McFadden, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 1 last season. Bobby Okereke has been a full-time starter for the Giants for three years, but he may end up a cap casualty this offseason. If that happens, perhaps Edmunds will slide in as his replacement.