It’s a good time to need a pass rusher with the free agent market set up the way it is this offseason. The Chicago Bears should be fully active in their pursuit to add more help in Dennis Allen’s scheme in his first season as the team’s defensive coordinator. Allen runs a 4-3 defense that relies a lot on pressure being applied up front, as shown in his lengthy stay with the New Orleans Saints.
The Bears defense as a whole has struggled to get to the quarterback over the last two seasons, and it’s something that general manager Ryan Poles will look to address along with the offensive line that will need to be completely retooled before training camp.
Myles Garrett made big waves on Monday when he officially requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns. While Chicago should certainly be all-in for the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, the front office simply cannot ignore the free-agent market at the edge rushing position. If they are looking for a flier option, a former Philadelphia Eagle might float their boat.
Haason Reddick could fit with the Chicago Bears
Some outlets see Haason Reddick as a top-five free-agent pass rusher available on the open market this offseason. The 30-year-old played in just 10 games for the Jets in 2024 due to a contract dispute and recorded one sack. Reddick spent the previous two seasons with the Eagles where he was named to the Pro Bowl each year.
Reddick’s 27 combined sacks in 2022 and 2023 with Philadelphia put him on the map as one of the more underrated pass rushers in the entire league. Through eight NFL seasons, he has 59 sacks and four straight years of at least 11 sacks or more. Reddick was a first-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 and has mostly lived up to the hype of being a guy who went 13th overall in his draft class.
Similar to all of the other offseason targets that the Bears will talk to at the edge rushing position, Reddick would alleviate a lot of pressure off Montez Sweat in the Windy City. Ever since the team acquired Sweat from Washington in 2023, there hasn’t been much help to go alongside him. He finished the year with just 5.5 sacks primarily due to injury and dealing with constant double teams when attempting to put pressure on the quarterback.
Off-field issues could concern the Chicago Bears with Haason Reddick
As mentioned, Reddick’s contract dispute caused some problems in New York this past year. This will be a major for teams going after him in free agency for obvious reasons, but it could actually help organizations in a weird way. Due to Reddick missing a decent portion of 2024, his deal should be cheaper this offseason. With his past being the way it is, that could also cause issues.
Chicago would need to decide if a guy like Reddick with his past is worth bringing into the locker room. While he is a very good pass rusher when he’s on the field, building a strong culture in a new era of Bears football is essential for this team to be built back up the right way.
If Ben Johnson and his staff believe that Reddick won’t be an issue and the front office can agree to a short-term deal that fits their budget, it is a very realistic possibility for him to fit with this team entering 2025.
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