AP

Bears cornerback Charles Tillman is playing in his second straight Pro Bowl this weekend and coming off perhaps his finest season, which has led to speculation that the Bears could look to extend his contract before the start of next season.

Tillman is entering the final year of his contract, a situation that often leads to extension talks for players who have done a lot less than Tillman’s done of late. He’s set to make $7.95 million with a workout bonus of $550,000 in 2013 with a cap number of $8 million. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune points out that an extension would likely lower that cap number and free up more money for the Bears to spend elsewhere.

For a team with a pretty serious need to upgrade on the offensive line, that has to be a pretty appealing prospect. The Bears defense doesn’t figure to change too much with Mel Tucker coming in to run the defense under Marc Trestman, so there’s no reason to think Tillman would oppose extension talks.

Tillman turns 32 next month so age is a bit of a factor. There’s been talk about moving him to safety in the past, something Biggs thinks would be something to consider when mapping out Tillman’s future in Chicago. It makes sense on both sides which means we may be hearing more about an extension from Tillman as the offseason unfolds.