Jake Martin

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Jake Martin's two-year, $9M extension with the Bears ($4.5M AAV) represents a fair market deal for a solid starter at linebacker, earning a C+ CVI that reflects competent value without being a steal or overpay. At $4.5M annually, Chicago is paying middle-tier money for what appears to be middle-tier production, positioning Martin in that crowded space between impact starter and replaceable veteran. The contract structure shows prudent risk management with only $4.5M guaranteed across two years, giving the Bears flexibility to move on after 2025 if Martin's performance declines or if they identify a younger, cheaper alternative through the draft. This modest financial commitment suggests Chicago views Martin as a reliable but unspectacular piece rather than a cornerstone defender, which aligns perfectly with the salary investment. The Bears avoided both the trap of overpaying for past production and the risk of losing steady linebacker play on the cheap, landing squarely in that sensible middle ground where most NFL roster construction happens.

Performance Analysis

Jake Martin is firmly in replacement-level territory among NFL linebackers right now, and a D- performance grade reflects a player who has yet to make a meaningful case for himself at the position. Through two games, his stat line reads just 2 tackles — a floor-level output that offers almost nothing to build a narrative around, and the kind of production that keeps a third-year player squarely on the roster bubble rather than climbing a depth chart. The most glaring weakness is the complete absence of any differentiating contribution: no sacks, no pass breakdowns, no splash plays in the data — just minimal tackle volume that reflects limited opportunity as much as anything else. At 25 years old on a rookie-scale contract, Martin is in the final stage of the window where teams typically decide whether a late sixth-round pick (186th overall) has a future in the organization or serves as a camp body. The Chicago Bears' offseason activity adds real urgency here — signing Jack Sanborn at linebacker and adding multiple defensive pieces signals the front office is actively reshaping its personnel, which means Martin's path to a meaningful roster role is narrowing, not widening. The media framing around him confirms it: he is a developmental depth piece operating almost entirely off the radar, with training camp and preseason snaps representing his clearest — and perhaps last — opportunity to change the conversation before the regular season opener 132 days out.