The Bears may have finished shaping the roster, but ESPN’s Dan Graziano thinks Chicago still has one more move in it. His read: don’t be shocked if Ryan Poles goes out and trades for an edge rusher before long.
That kind of swing would fit the way Poles has operated so far. Graziano pointed to the Bears GM as someone who isn’t afraid to chase a bigger piece, especially when there’s still a hole to fill. And in his view, the pass rush remains exactly that kind of problem area.
"Bears GM Ryan Poles has been an active and aggressive trader in his time with the team, and he'll turn over every rock he can, looking for an impact player up front. The Bears' health issues on defense might be more concentrated on the back end, but improving the pass rush would help the secondary, too."
Dan Graziano
Chicago has been trying to stabilize that edge group since Poles took over, and the results have been uneven. Dayo Odeyingbo, brought in as the current starter opposite Montez Sweat, was the team’s biggest move there, but his first year did not go the way the Bears wanted before injury shut him down for the rest of the season. He’s back healthy now, but the proof still has to show up on the field.
Austin Booker gives the group another name to watch. The former fourth-round pick started to find his footing late in the 2025 season, though the role that fits him best still looks like a rotational one. He’s also dealing with an injury now, which only adds to the uncertainty.
That uncertainty is the bigger theme. Chicago has bodies at the position, but not many clean answers.
Daniel Hardy and Jamree Kromah remain on the practice squad, with Hardy having been around since 2023 and flashed in the preseason without carrying that over into regular games. Kromah has been with the Bears since 2024 and posted his best preseason this summer.
Marcus Davenport is also on the practice squad, but he is still working back from injury and does not look fully up to speed yet. So while the Bears do have some depth, it’s easy to see why Graziano framed a trade as a bold prediction rather than a certainty.
Even so, the collection of question marks may be the strongest argument for a deal. If one of these edge rushers doesn’t separate himself soon, the Bears could be forced to go shopping.
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