Windy City Gridiron
In this series, we will look at which Chicago Bears players need to step up their play to match their pay in 2025.
Expectations are a tricky thing. One of the safest ways to fan over the years is to set the bar low and not expect much from your team. We Chicago Bears fans know this well. I couldn’t help but think of one of the all-time great MADtv skits as I began this series. Let’s be honest, these actually were mostly terrible, but the point remains. Expectations are key!
However, with Ben Johnson now calling the shots in Chi-town and Caleb Williams under center, times are looking up for The Beloved. With over $64 million in cap space and 4 picks in the top 75 of this upcoming NFL Draft, Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles has plenty of resources at his disposal to improve the team moving forward. But what about the players currently under contract? In this series, we will highlight ten players who need to step up their play to justify their contract while simultaneously helping the team win more games.
Next up at #7, we have Defensive End, DeMarcus Walker.
DeMarcus Walker has amassed 7 sacks over two seasons with the Bears after netting 7 in his lone year in Tennessee before coming to Chicago. He is currently making the 11th most on the team and 6th highest paid defender in 2025. In the final year of the 3 year $21 million contract that he signed back in 2023, it is safe to say Walker must show up to secure a long-term spot on the roster. He is the exact type of player to be a rotational piece on the DL, but should not have been relied upon to carry the load as a starting DE for so long. Some are even calling for him to be cut in a cap saving move.
While he started all 17 games at DE for the Bears in 2024 and earned career highs in solo and total tackles, Walker simply leaves too much to be desired as a starter at this point in his career. Could he turn heads and dominate in his contract season with improved talent around him? Sure. But either way, he makes the list here as someone I will be watching closely in 2025.
7. DeMarcus Walker
