The Bears are releasing tight end Gerald Everett (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter) and defensive end DeMarcus Walker (per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo). The team has confirmed the moves via social media.
Everett’s release saves $5.5MM against the Bears’ 2025 salary cap with $1MM in dead money. Cutting Walker saves an additional $5.25MM with just under $700k in dead money. Chicago entered the day with $69MM in cap space, per OverTheCap, and now has more than $80MM ahead of free agency next month.
The Bears were expected to move on from Everett after he underperformed the two-year, $12MM deal he signed last offseason. He recorded just eight catches for 36 yards and zero touchdowns – all career-lows – despite appearing in all 17 regular-season games. The eight-year veteran will now join plethora of experienced tight ends in free agency and may have to take a contract close to the veteran minimum to rebuild his value next season.
Walker, however, gave the Bears a solid return on the three-year, $21MM deal he signed in 2023. He appeared in all 34 games (29 starts) in the last two seasons with seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss. His consistent production could have justified his $5.9MM cap hit in 2025, but the Bears opted to move on from the 30-year-old as one of their first moves under new head coach Ben Johnson. Walker will likely draw interest in free agency from teams looking for pass-rushing depth.
Both players have bounced around the league, but each has been productive at points. The Bears were Everett’s fourth team, while they were Walker’s fourth as well. Both players were 2017 second-round picks — Everett with the Rams, Walker the Broncos — who have now played into their 30s. Each could certainly land another gig, though Walker might have a better shot given how underwhelming Everett’s latest season under Shane Waldron was.
Everett followed Waldron from the Rams to the Seahawks, only straying from the position coach-turned-coordinator’s path during a two-year Chargers stay. Prior to his dud in Chicago, Everett had been fairly consistent. He had posted between 400 and 480 receiving yards in four of his previous five seasons, deviating in 2022 via a career-best 555-yard showing to help the Chargers reach the playoffs. This is also not a strong tight end free agent class, which should at least give Everett a chance at a one-year accord.
The Broncos did not re-sign Walker in 2020, after he had operated as a 3-4 defensive end and OLB, but the Florida State product ripped off a seven-sack season for the Titans in 2022. This helped him score the Bears pact, and he has totaled 16 QB hits in each of his past three seasons. Although being a surefire starter post-Chicago may not be a lock for Walker, he probably has a path to another notable role after operating as a regular Bears first-stringer during his two-year stay.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
No surprise with this announcement. However, I am surprised that Ryan Bates wasn’t included. Bears can create an additional $4M in savings by moving on from the veteran OLineman and incur no dead money in the process. Often injured and hardly played this season. A real disappointment. Cost the Bears a fifth rounder. I’m sure it’s coming. At least it should be.
Perhaps the Bears will keep Ryan around if he offers the organization discounts at the Bates Motel.
Just because they haven’t cut Ryan Bates doesn’t mean they will keep him.
They could always axe him at a later date.
If the Bears keep him. They have a plan for him.
He’ll probably either be gone soon or right after the draft. They can lose his whole 4 million right now so I doubt after they add to the O line this year he’ll be here. He’s a holdover from the old staff but he is a Poles guy. Poles tried twice to get him but he should have no future here. He’s a bad C and a below average Guard. The only thing he has going for him is he can be bad at 3 positions.
Everett was utterly useless with bears. Maybe he’ll have a more juicy role for a team like colts broncos jets or rams
So was Cole Kmet last year. And I think Kmet is a stud TE. But, thy hardly used TE’s in passing game. Me thinks Williams threw way too much to Allen instead of using the TE’s in the passing game. Should be different story this coming season. Hopefully.
Yeah it was worth paying Kmet all that money to disappear last year wasn’t it? I think I saw him on a Milk Carton. Bears don’t need a high priced EDGE. They can draft one who becomes that. Also I believe the Bears can help their pass rush just by hiring Dennis Allen. Eberlose’ s rush 4 every time wasn’t exactly conducive to fooling the opposition. The Bears can help their pass rush just by using their linebackers better, and drafting or signing a decent DT in FA. Billings and Dexter are fine against the run but the Bears best pass rush was when Walker moved inside on 3rd down. Sounds like Allen has plans for Gordon to be some kind of super weapon which would have never occurred to an idiot like Eberlose.
Kmet is Olsen 2.0. Great player, never used by the Bears. Kmet goes somewhere else and would probably be a Kelce type player for almost any other team. The Bears have some sort of aversion toward using TEs lately for some reason.
@sentinelATl. Chargers could take him back with Allen. Chargers will take a look because he doesn’t count against the comp pick formula plus he had his best years with Herbert.
Chargers could take him back but Ladd is the de facto guy. IIRC Everett thrived when both Mike Williams and Allen were injured but now he’d split targets with QJ and Ladd who easily outpace him
If anyone needs TE help it’s the teams I mentioned
@sentinelATL. I agree about ladd. Qj can’t catch. after that chargers have no one and it was exposed. as far as tight ends they don’t have anyone that can catch mostly blocking tight ends. I was just saying chargers because harbaugh and hortiz will probably go to the trenches in the draft.
@Rexhudler86—QJ got better towards end of last season had several 100 yard games and the front office seems to see potential in him but you make a good point
They should have cut him when his buddy Waldron got the ax.
True
Releasing Walker clears a roster spot for Myles Garrett…on the off chance he isn’t serious about wanting to play for a title contender.
The Bears are not getting Myles Garrett. The price would be way too steep.
Just draft one and develop him.
Does Richard Dent have a grandson the Bears could draft and develop?
With Booker, Maybe Taylor and 1 of those first 3 picks I’m comfortable with what they will have. What I won’t be comfortable with is trading # 10 for another 32 year old savior who won’t be that here. I’d even re sign Khalil Mack before I’d do that. That would be a Jed Hoyer shiny object move.
Taylor had about 2 good games where he first got here then disappeared. Walker being gone Im not thrilled with, only because I think he would be a good DT (as I think he was playing out of position at Edge).
There are some projecting the Bears taking a RB with one of their first 3 picks. If that happens, then Poles should be fired immediately after making that pick.
Really the Bears need a true consensus ‘3 tech’ DT, an Edge rusher and a bonafide LT and Center (and if Jenkins is gone a guard as well). Yknow basically the same list they have had now for about 10 years. No more ‘projects’. They have no time for that after last years misfire.
It sounds like there will be several good DT’s in FA. They might be a little older than you would like but they can surely be placeholders. If the Bears who will have like 65 million dollars to spend( Everybody forgets it will take 15 million to sign the draft picks), sign Smith and Dalman and draft one of the OT’s at 10, Solidifies the line. Then you can draft one of the Edges, RB’s and DT’s with later picks. Pickens is a bust, The fool they got from the Browns is a bust but DT is a position you can find later. Unless Allen can get something out of Pickens that I don’t see. Like I said, The pass rush will be better just by Allen being here and scheme change. Smith and Dalman will cost like half of the 65 million but would be worth it. Re sign Pryor, Shelton and the OL is much improved. Then you have around 25-30 million left. Should be able to sign a decent DT and whatever spare parts Johnson and Allen want and this will be a much improved team. That extra 3rd round pick would have been nice for Cunningham, But maybe Poles can trade down one of the 2nds a little and get back into the 4th round. In no shape, way or form should he be trading any of those picks away for someone they lose picks for AND have to PAY on top of it.
I’m not too comfortable with GMs that have that “place holder” mindset. Sometimes you get stuck and have to go down that road but at the same time it can become a crutch that organizations rely on too often. I think back to the Cardinals signing QB Jim Hart as a UDFA. I think their plan was that he would be a place holder… but they kept him around for 18 seasons. lol.
Maybe placeholder wasn’t exactly the word I was looking for. But the fact is that of all the positions of need for the Bears this year DT should be the easiest to fill as there will be more than enough FA’s out there. They could sign an older guy to hang around and fill the hole while drafting a guy later or even signing a younger guy in FA too. Not really sure what Allen is looking for in his DT’s or LB’s in a scheme fit but we should find out rather quickly in early March. As far as Jim Hart goes I’m quite sure the Bidwells were way too buy chasing the female office staff around desks to even worry about Jim Hart. They just got lucky. I’m quite sure we as Bears fans hope they will be drafting at the bottom of the 1st round from now on where a DT will be in play more often than not.
Plus, If the Banks and Campbell are gone by 10, And Graham is sitting there I have to give serious consideration to drafting Graham and spending the 2 2nd rounders on the OL. I don’t see that happening, But you have the Giants, Raiders and Jets drafting ahead of you. Anything is possible.
Buddy of mine who’s a massive Bears fan went on and on before the season about how Everett was going to be Caleb’s under the radar favorite target and how unstoppable Everett and Kmet will be with everyone being more focused on Moore, Allen, Rome, and Swift.
Did he say that in a bar? Around closing time I’m betting. LOL
I’m pretty certain that Cole Kmet will be fully integrated into Johnson’s offensive plans. Waldron had no idea what he had in Kmet.