Ryan Poles spent the offseason making a bet on the Bears’ young pass rush, and if it misses, Chicago could feel the fallout all year.
That’s the concern hanging over the edge rusher spot after Poles chose not to add real help there, even though it was one of the clearest problems on the roster. Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geitheim pointed to that decision as the one that could come back to haunt him.
“The Bears had glaring needs on the defensive side of the ball, and they primarily focused on revamping their secondary with the additions of Dillon Thieneman and Coby Bryant and the departures of Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Nahshon Wright, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Jonathan Owens.
They didn’t, however, do much for their pass rush, which recorded just 35 sacks a season ago and finished 31st in pass rush win rate. After not adding pass rushers in the draft, Ben Johnson noted that they believe in the trajectory of their young players, including Dayo Odeyingbo, Shemar Turner and Austin Booker. This, however, could backfire if the pass rush can’t get going and the Bears struggle to slow down other offenses once again.”
That’s the heart of it: Chicago knows what the issue is, but Poles didn’t attack it in a meaningful way. The Bears didn’t trade for a pass rusher, didn’t sign one, and didn’t draft one either, despite rumors that Maxx Crosby could have been a trade target.
Last season already showed how thin the margin is. Austin Booker missed the first seven games, Dayo Odeyingbo missed the second half of the year, and the pass rush never really caught up. Poles tried to patch things at the trade deadline with Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, a first-round bust, but that move didn’t solve anything.
Now the front office is counting on internal growth. Booker is the more encouraging name after posting 4.5 sacks in 10 games. Odeyingbo is a tougher sell after managing one sack in eight games.
Montez Sweat remains the anchor. He’s coming off a 10-sack season, and Ben Johnson called it his best year. NFL players also recognized him, ranking Sweat 91st in the league.
Even with Sweat, the numbers from a year ago tell the story. The Bears finished with 35 sacks in 17 games, good for 26th in the NFL. With the NFL’s toughest schedule ahead, Chicago needs that number to move in the right direction fast.
The offense is expected to carry its share, but it won’t be enough on its own. If the defense can’t help, especially up front, the Bears could be headed for a long season. And if that happens, Poles’ decision to stand pat at edge rusher will be the one everyone keeps coming back to.
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