The Chicago Bears have promoted Matt Feinstein, the man in charge of managing the salary cap and negotiating contracts.
Feinstein, who joined the Bears in 2022, was promoted to vice president of football administration, the team announced Friday. Previously he held the title of director of football administration.
“Matt is an invaluable asset to our football operation, and his well-earned promotion benefits our entire organization,” general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement.
Feinstein has played an integral role on Poles’ front-office staff. He was a core member of the search committee that resulted in the hiring of coach Ben Johnson last month.
The Bears have about $69 million in available salary-cap space heading into free agency, which opens March 12. President/CEO Kevin Warren, in a letter to season ticket holders earlier this week, pledged that the team would be “aggressive” in free agency. If that holds true, Feinstein will be busy negotiating deals to supplement the roster, with the focus potentially on the offensive line.
Before the Bears hired him, Feinstein worked for the NFL Management Council for seven years. The Michigan graduate held a director role in labor relations for the league’s council of governance, and his deep understanding of contracts was one reason Poles hired him.