The Chicago Bears opened the legal tampering window by bolstering their offensive line with Drew Dalman.
Now, the Bears are ensuring Montez Sweat has a bit more firepower next to him on the defensive line.
Chicago has agreed to terms with defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. He will receive a three-year, $48 million contract.
Dayo Odeyingbo joins the Chicago Bears
Odeyingbo has spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts after being selected in the second-round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He has gone on to appear in 61 games, starting 19 of them, and making 106 tackles, 46 quarterback hits and 16.5 sacks.
The pass rusher started a career-high 14 games in 2024 – appearing in all 17 for a third-straight year – making 31 tackles, 17 quarterback hits and three sacks. While his numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page, he gives the Bears another fierce presence off the edge. No longer can opposing teams solely focus on Sweat.
As the Bears continue building out their defense, Dayo Odeyingbo might not be their final addition on the defensive line. He was one of the more coveted options available before signing is deal, via NFL.com.
“A rolling ball of pass-rush energy, Odeyinbgo has 34 combined sacks and QB hits over the last two years, which is solid production for a part-time player.”
Why Bears signed Odeyingbo
While not as big of a name as Trey Hendrickson or Josh Sweat, the Bears had one thing in mind when targeting Odeyingbo, getting to the quarterback. They ended their 2024 season in the middle of the pack with 40 sacks. Montez Sweat led the way with a measly 5.5. If Chicago is going to be taken seriously in 2025, they need a bit more pass rusher.
In Odeyingbo, the Bears are counting on the 25-year-old continuing developing. Clearly he isn’t a finished product yet, but $48 million is a lot to pay for a work in progress. It’s not like Odeyingbo hasn’t shown flashes though and the Bears are confident he’ll be a perfect fit for Dennis Allen’s new defense.
Furthermore, while he had just three sacks in 2024, Odeyingo racked up eight in 2023 and five in 2022. Both times he was playing on limited snaps, earning five starts collectively through those two seasons. With the money he is making, it seems unlikely that the defensive end will be part of a long-term timeshare across from Sweat.
Ultimately, the Bears were looking for some pop along their edge and a player they can build around. Ben Johnson, Allen and company are still trying to find the perfect pieces to make their 2025 defensive puzzle. Dayo Odeyingbo may not be the first player Bears fans had in mind. However, he is the latest to help try and return the Chicago Bears back to contention.
Chicago Bears fans react to huge free agent signing
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