While the Chicago Bears haven’t played a single down in 2025 yet, the slow period of the offseason has everyone analyzing the team’s roster. To be fair, for as much hype as the Bears have received, this is still a team coming off of a 5-12 campaign.
Looking around the roster, one clear area of concern is in the pass rush. The team has Montez Sweat as their leader, but Chicago’s inability to bring pressure around him limited what the pass rusher could do. To help fix that issue, the Bears signed Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year, $48 million contract.
But not everyone is convinced Odeyingbo is the perfect answer to all of Chicago’s pass rush questions. In fact, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report is already calling him the biggest bust on the Bears’ roster.
“Edge-defender Dayo Odeyingbo was a good rotational player for three seasons with the Colts before emerging as a starter last year,” Knox wrote. “However, expectations for him are set to jump after he signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Chicago Bears.”
“Unfortunately, Odeyingbo will have a difficult time living up to those higher expectations,” he continued. “Though a starting-caliber end, he’s unlikely to provide a massive boost to Chicago’s sack production. The 25-year-old had just three sacks, seven tackles for loss and 19 QB pressures in 17 games last season.”
Dayo Odeyingbo’s journey to Chicago Bears
The Indianapolis Colts originally selected Odeyingbo with a second-round pick in 2021. While injuries head him back as a rookie, the pass rusher became a key rotational piece over the next two seasons, racking up 13 sacks and 28 quarterback hits. During the 2023 season, Odeyingbo put up a career-high eight sacks and 17 quarterback hits.
He was able to match the 17 QB hits in 2024, but his sacks dropped down to three. So looking at that number alone, it’s easy to see why some are souring on Odeyingbo’s contract.
But only 25-years-old, the Bears are expecting Odeyingbo to only grow stronger once he arrives in the Windy City. The 2024 campaign marked the first time he was pressed into starting duty. With a better understanding, Odeyingbo can get back to wreaking havoc in opposing team’s backfields. It’s not like he really left though, as the pass rusher’s 17 quarterback hits would’ve ranked second on the Bears in 2024.
Ultimately, Odeyingbo will need to prove he is worth the $48 million on the field. But head coach Ben Johnson and company have hand selected every new addition to the roster. With Odeyingbo’s signing coming so early into free agency, clearly the coaching staff views him as a strong fit.
Pass rush options
Sweat and Odeyingbo’s spots on the depth chart are unquestioned. But behind them are a litany of unheralded names. It’s why the Bears have been connected to so many free agent pass rushers.
But if Chicago opts to stay in house, their best option appears to be Austin Booker. He appeared in all 17 games as a rookie, recording 21 tackles, four quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks. With a year of experience under his belt, Booker may now be tasked with more of a responsibility. The offseason hype surrounding him sure points to that becoming true.
However, if Booker doesn’t pan out in new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme, Chicago could turn to players such as Dominique Robinson, Daniel Hardy or even second-rounder Shemar Turner. To be fair, if they’re truly scrambling for options, maybe that’s when free agency comes back into play.
But Johnson at least wants to see what he has on his roster first. Playing in the NFC North, he knows Odeyingbo and all of the Bears’ edge rushers need to be bringing pressure every matchup.
Chicago Bears blasted over expensive free agency decision
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