The Bears may not have many holes left, but the edge rush room still looks like the one spot worth poking at before the season settles in.
Montez Sweat is the proven name in the group, and Austin Booker has already turned in a solid start to training camp. There’s also reason to think Booker could take another step forward. Even so, Chicago’s depth beyond that is still the part that invites a closer look.
That’s where Joey Bosa comes in. The veteran free agent doesn’t look like a lock to play in the 2026 season, with retirement talk already floating around even though he’s only 31 and still showed he can make an impact for the Buffalo Bills a year ago.
Chicago has already seen Ben Johnson help pull a veteran back from the brink of retirement. Case Keenum was leaning toward walking away before being talked into returning for a chance to work with Johnson and Caleb Williams. Now Keenum is heading into his second season with the franchise, and there’s been no sign he’s thinking about stepping away again.
If Johnson could work that same kind of magic with Bosa, the fit would be obvious. Bosa has recorded 5.0 sacks in each of the past two seasons, and as recently as 2021 he was still producing at a much higher level, finishing with 10.5 sacks for the Los Angeles Chargers.
There are fair questions about how much is left in the tank and whether he can stay healthy. But Chicago’s need is real, and Bosa would get a chance to put his career back on track while adding another body to a pass rush that could use it.
At the very least, Johnson and Ryan Poles should make the call and see whether Bosa is willing to listen. The Bears are young, but they can reasonably see themselves as one of the league’s elite contenders, and Chicago would give Bosa a shot at meaningful football while helping its young edge players along.
If he wants to keep playing, the move makes sense for both sides. It’s also a deal the Bears should be able to handle. The simple next step is obvious: reach out and find out whether a return for the 2026 season is possible.
In Other News...
Bears Secondary Trouble Forced A Fast Fix Before Week 1
The Bears had to make another quick adjustment in the back end this week as injuries piled up in their secondary ahead of Week 1. Marlen Sewell arrived as the latest addition, while Jonathan Garvin landed on the reserve/injured list, and the early roster churn comes with Kyler Gordon and Elijah Hicks still on the PUP list and starting safety Coby Bryant sidelined by a knee injury.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is already reshuffling pieces to keep the coverage plan on track. Cam Lewis is moving to safety, and the nickel corner job is suddenly open enough to draw multiple contenders into the mix, a reminder that Chicago is still trying to sort out who fits where before the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Camp Battles Are Already Forcing Tough Early Roster Calls
Five practices into training camp, the Bears are already seeing how quickly the early battles can tighten a roster picture that still has about four weeks to go before final cuts. The offense has looked solid, but the bigger concern right now sits on the defensive side, where injuries are starting to shape the conversation and push a projected 53-man roster into flux.
That matters most in the secondary, where the Bears came into camp expecting competition but may now be forced into tougher math than planned. With several spots still unsettled and a handful of players tracking toward roster locks, the projection is useful only as a snapshot, not a finish line, and the next few weeks will say plenty about which depth pieces end up surviving the squeeze. [Read more 🡒]