The Chicago Bears made their first cut of the offseason with cornerback Buster Skrine, who Adam Schefter reported will be released after two years with the team.
It wasn’t a move that came by surprise, and it’s a show of faith by Beas brass in regards to their young cornerbacks in Duke Shelley and Kindle Vildor.
But how does Skrine’s release affect Chicago’s salary cap situation?
Before the move, the Bears were around $2.7 million over the salary cap, per Over the Cap. Skrine’s release frees up $2.7 million in salary cap space, which would bring Chicago to right around the salary cap floor of $180 million (they currently have $233,000 in cap space, if it remains $180 million).
Although, there’s a possibility that the Bears could designate the move as a post-June 1 cut, which would save nearly $5 million in cap space.
While there’s no agreed upon amount for the 2021 salary cap, it will be no less than the agreed-upon floor of $180 million, and it could be as high as $185 million. That’s still a good $13-18 million less than last season, which is going to make things difficult on Pace.
Skrine might’ve been the first cap casualty, but he won’t be the last. Other candidates include tight end Jimmy Graham and right tackle Bobby Massie.
