The Chicago Bears are knocking on the door of something big. After winning the NFC North in Ben Johnson’s debut season as head coach and taking down their longtime rivals, the Green Bay Packers, in the playoffs, the Bears aren’t just trending in the right direction-they're accelerating.
The next logical step? Taking a serious swing at a Super Bowl run.
And to do that, they’ll need to fortify a few key spots on the roster. One area that could use a jolt: the pass rush.
Enter Trey Hendrickson.
Hendrickson, one of the top free agents available this offseason, is being linked to Chicago by Greg Auman of Fox Sports, who ranks him as the No. 4 player on his list of the top 100 free agents. Auman even predicts the veteran edge rusher will land with the Bears-and potentially at a bargain price.
Now, Hendrickson’s stock isn’t quite what it was a year ago. He’s coming off core muscle surgery that limited him to just four sacks in seven games in 2025.
That’s a far cry from the back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons and four straight Pro Bowl nods he had on his résumé not long ago. Last year, he signed a one-year, $29 million deal with the Bengals.
But after the injury-shortened season, he may not command the same kind of payday this time around.
That’s where things get interesting for Chicago.
The Bears already boast a defense that thrives on creating chaos. In 2025, they led the league in takeaways with 33-racking up 23 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries.
That kind of ball-hawking mentality helped fuel their playoff push. But if there was one area where the defense came up short, it was in pressuring opposing quarterbacks.
Chicago finished the season with just 35 sacks, tied for seventh-fewest in the league.
Adding a healthy Hendrickson to that mix could be a game-changer.
Even with his recent injury, Hendrickson has 81 career sacks over nine seasons. When he’s right, he’s one of the most disruptive edge rushers in the league. His motor, technique, and ability to win one-on-one matchups would immediately elevate a Bears pass rush that needs more bite.
Pair that kind of impact player with a young, ascending quarterback in Caleb Williams and an offense that’s expected to keep trending upward under Johnson, and suddenly, the Bears look like a team that’s not just hoping to compete-they’re built to contend.
If Chicago can land Hendrickson at a team-friendly price, it’s the kind of move that could put their defense over the top. And in a conference that’s wide open behind a few elite teams, that might be all they need to make a serious run.