Bears To Release CB Buster Skrine

After two seasons, the Bears will move on from Buster Skrine. Chicago will make the veteran cornerback a cap casualty, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Skrine signed with the Bears in 2019, landing in Chicago after four seasons with the Jets. The veteran slot corner has managed to reach 10 NFL seasons. An 11th would mean another relocation.

This move comes ahead of a $500K roster bonus Skrine was due to collect. He will turn 32 in April. Skrine played 28 games with the Bears, with his tenure coming exclusively under DC Chuck Pagano. Both are out of the picture now. Because of the two void years tacked onto the end of Skrine’s three-year deal, the Bears will save just $2.7MM by making this move. Entering Monday, the Bears were barely $2MM over the projected salary cap.

Skrine played 52% of the Bears’ defensive snaps in 2020, grading as Pro Football Focus’ No. 92 overall corner. The former Browns fifth-round pick has started 92 games in his career but will now enter a buyer’s market, with the cap set to drop.

The Skrine release marks the second straight year in which the Bears have cut a 30-something cornerback contributor. They made Prince Amukamara a cap casualty ahead of the 2020 league year.

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