What does 2022 salary cap ceiling mean for strapped Bears?

The Bears’ path out of salary cap hell will have its limits.

The NFL and the NFLPA agreed to a $208.2 million salary cap ceiling for the 2022 season, regardless of the league’s revenue, per ESPN.

While the cap could prove lower than that figure, it would be, at most, $25.7 million more than the $182.5 million cap this season that forced the Bears to cut veteran starters. The team cut cornerback Kyle Fuller and left tackle Charles Leno, among others.

The Bears currently have $157.6 million in obligations for the 2022 season, per Spotrac. That doesn’t include a deal for receiver Allen Robinson, who will play this season on a one-year franchise tag unless the two sides reach a long-term agreement by July 15.

A shortfall in projected revenue because of the coronavirus led to the 2021 cap, which was about $25 million short of what teams across the league had projected pre-pandemic.