Report: Drew Dalman has informed the Bears that he's retiring from NFL
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What breaking news about Drew Dalman is reported?
This is big-time breaking news, and this is not good. Adam Schefter is reporting that Drew Dallman has informed the Bears that he is retiring at age 27. Dallman left Stanford in 2021, and after four seasons in Atlanta and one in Chicago, he has made the sudden and surprising decision to retire. That is within the minute.
I cannot believe this, and there must be some further explanation because, you know, I know about retiring early. We've seen so many NFL players do this, but at the age of 27? Wow.
Ugh.
This is a scenario that I don't think any of us planned for. Thinking about that, it would happen. Dahlman signed a free agent contract last year with the Bears, and his work was excellent. He ended up going to the Pro Bowl. Dahlman is pivotal to this team, and now I find myself in a similar situation, except I think Frank Ragnow, that was more expected than this.
Yes.
This is shocking.
Why is Drew Dalman's early retirement surprising?
Not even to the age of 30, he just finished his age 27 season, finishing the first year of a three-year $42 million contract.
It's that part, too. We thought we were going to know Drew Dahlman's services for another two years after this. Wow. Okay, not totally panicking here, but this is a huge concern for the Bears.
And we just talked about how the priority was so clear that, oh, yeah, you need to figure out left tackle, but maybe they'll do that in-house with the pieces gone. But look at the other four members of that offensive line.
And now... Well, I mean, left tackle's been very much a question mark.
Now, looking at the center position, and how many times have we said, you know what, isn't it good not to worry about center?
It was me. I said it. I said I was really happy that I didn't have to worry about the center and quarterback exchange. Oh my goodness.
Now we're going to have major change as Adam Schefter reports that Drew Dallman says he is hanging up his cleats after just five NFL seasons, only one with the Bears.
Well, and then there's also the matter of, okay, how does the retirement also affect the cap hits and things of that nature?
How does Drew Dalman's retirement impact the Bears' roster?
That is... This is unexpected and... It just leaves us with more questions at this point than we could possibly have answers.
I will say this. Better this decision occur now than later if you're the Bears because now you are somewhat prepared going into the draft, free agency, everything else. You didn't want a later decision on something like this. And the biggest question that I will have going forward until we get it answered is why?
So from what I understand, retirement, and I'm searching here because this is not something that we've had to deal with. Retirement while under an existing contract generally results in the contract being frozen or terminated, but it does not instantly wipe the remaining financial obligations from the team's salary cap. All right, so in the NFL, any un... Unamortized signing bonus money, money already paid to the player but not yet counted against the cap, immediately accelerates onto the current year's cap.
What financial implications does Dalman's retirement have for the Bears?
If the retirement happens before June 1st, all remaining bonus money hits the cap immediately. Well, we are well before June 1st. If it happens after June 1st, the current year's prorated bonus hits this year, and the rest hits the following year. The player forfeits any remaining unearned salary, which removes that portion from future cap obligations. The team has the right to pursue the return of a portion of the signing bonus for unplayed seasons.
What questions remain unanswered after Dalman's retirement announcement?
If successfully recovered, that amount is credited back to the cap. So it is a big deal that this is not only a retirement that we did not see coming, that it was a retirement that happened... Before the league year and also before June 1st. Drew Dallman, according to Adam Schefter of the Bear Center, retiring at the age of 27. We'll talk about this with Lawrence Holmes and Matt Spiegel next.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What breaking news about Drew Dalman is reported?
0:00–1:16
2
Why is Drew Dalman's early retirement surprising?
1:16–2:34
3
How does Drew Dalman's retirement impact the Bears' roster?
2:34–3:41
4
What financial implications does Dalman's retirement have for the Bears?
3:41–4:09
5
What questions remain unanswered after Dalman's retirement announcement?
4:09–4:36
Speakers
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