Chicago Bears: Top 3 underpaid players on 2018 roster

After hitting on a few draft selections, the Chicago Bears have several players under contract in 2018 at a bargain price.

Over the past few seasons, the Chicago Bears have been trying to get younger. By cutting older veterans and focusing on more player development, the Bears have rid themselves of bad contracts and have several players on the roster making virtually peanuts (when it comes to salaries in the NFL).

It’s no surprise that most of these players are still on their rookie contracts.

Here are the top three players on the Bears roster who, based on their performance, are significantly underpaid:

Cody Whitehair, OL

Whitehair counts just $1.1 million towards the salary cap for 2018. After being drafted in the second-round in 2016, Whitehair signed a four-year, $4.2 million deal. One of the most consistent offensive linemen on the team, Whitehair has started all 32 games in his two-year NFL career and could push for a Pro Bowl nod in 2018. Whitehair is a free agent after the 2019 season, so a contract extension might be right around the corner.

Eddie Jackson, FS

Jackson was excellent as a rookie in 2017 and the Bears are expecting big things from him in 2018. Jackson has a salary cap-hit of $721,000 in 2018, an absolute bargain for a starting safety in the NFL. As a fourth-round draft pick, Jackson has three years left on his four-year, $3.05 million rookie contract. It looks like the Bears got a steal in the former Alabama Crimson Tide.

Next: NFL 2018: Dark horse MVP candidate for each team

Jordan Howard, RB

Making just over $600,000 this season, Howard might be one of the best bargains in the entire league. He has averaged over 1,400 scrimmage yards in his first two NFL seasons and has been the Bears best offensive player in that timespan. Howard makes a little more than $700,000 in 2019, the last year of his rookie deal he signed in 2016 (four-year, $2.58 million). Howard should continue to put-up big numbers in Matt Nagy’s offense and might be given a contract extension sometime next year.