Dayo Odeyingbo's first season with the Chicago Bears was cut short because of an Achilles injury. Find out where the defensive end showed flashes last season and what he needs to improve.
The Chicago Bears signed Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year, $48 million contract that includes $32 million in total guarantees. Odeyingbo played in just eight games after a torn Achilles ended his season. Even when he was healthy, the edge rusher left plenty of questions about the type of impact he can realistically create for Dennis Allen's defense.
The Basics
Age: 26 | Exp: 6 | Draft: [2021, Rd. 2, Pick 54]
2025 Production: 1 sack, 10 total quarterback pressures, 21 total tackles, 1 Pass Defensed
Game Watched: Week 3 vs. Dallas -- 4 total tackles, 2 Total Pressures
The Tape: Core Strengths
With Odeyingbo' 6-foot-5, 282-pound frame, he has the ideal length and size to set the edge. When the 26-year-old edge rusher uses all his intangibles, he can be an asset in the run game.
On this rep against the Cowboys in Week 3, watch how Odeyingbo uses his right arm to get into the right tackle's body. The Bears' edge rusher then closes the gap by walking the Cowboys' tackle into the right guard. While Odeyingbo is doing that, he is keeping his eyes in the backfield. His teammates do a good job closing the rush lanes on the left side, forcing the running back into Odeyingbo's direction. He helps makes the tackle for a 1-yard gain.
For a majority of game, left tackle Tyler Guyton did a decent job in pass protection against Odeyingbo. Here is a good pass rush rep from Odyeingbo against Guyton.
It start with Odeyingbo's get-off. Immediately after he puts both hands in the dirt, Dak Prescott calls for the snap. Odeyingbo quickly gets into Guyton's body, not allowing the left tackle to extend his arms. The Bears' edge rusher then uses a swim move to bypass the tackle. Prescott does release the ball before Odeyingbo makes contact, but the Bears' defensive lineman still pushes the Cowboys' quarterback to the ground. The ref looks directly at Odeyinbo but didn't believe a roughing the passer penalty was warranted.
The Film Room: Areas for Growth
Just in the Week 3 game against the Cowboys, Odeyingbo had too many inconsistent reps, not utilizing his size to his advantage. The Cowboys calls a wide receiver handoff, using orbit motion to attack the left perimeter.
Odeyingbo does a good job initially setting the edge and is in a good position to stop the run. The Cowboys have a lead block from the tight end, and Brevyn Spann-Ford (No. 89) knocks Odeyingbo to the ground, creating a running lane for the Cowboys' receiver.
Odeyingbo clearly sees the block coming, but that didn't help the Bears' defensive end absorb the impact. There were just too many reps when Odeyingbo didn't play to his size. This was one of them.
As mentioned above, Guyton held his own against Odeyingbo, and the Bears' pass rusher can take the blame because of his poor execution.
This play is a quick screen to the opposite side, so Odeyingbo likely didn't have a chance to impact the pass. However, take a closer look, especially from the end zone angle, at how many steps the Bears' pass rusher takes before he even makes contact with Guyton.
Odeyingbo chops his feet four times before finally getting his left arm into the offensive tackle. Prescott already passes the ball in the other direction. At times, Odeyingbo lacked a clear plan on his pass-rush reps and failed to deploy counters to sustain the rush.
Outlook
With Odeyingbo's injury and lack of production last season, the Bears' defensive end has plenty to prove this year.
General manager Ryan Poles paid the 26-year-old with the intention he could become a difference maker for Allen's defense. I'm not confident that will happen.
Since 2021, Odeyingbo has torn his Achilles twice. The first time happened while training for the NFL Draft, but the former second-round pick from Vanderbilt did play in all 17 games the last three seasons in Indianapolis after the injury.
How will Odeyingbo's body respond this time around? Odeyingbo has zero guaranteed money left on his deal after the 2026 season, so he will have to perform if he intends to stay in Chicago long-term.
All-22 Game Notes
- Washed out of the play, LT takes him to the other side of the offensive line, Odeyingbo doesn’t get hands into LT, Cowboys get 7 yards
- Lined up outside LT, WR crashes down, do like how 55 turns and runs downfield when he sees the ball carrier get downfield, both plays two hands in the dirt
- Decent get-off on screen, and clearly gets held on pulling O-lineman but no call
- Attacks outside shoulder, sets edge, disengages and pursues RB
- Attempts to loop inside but LT does a nice job stopping his rush
- Like the way he pursues ball carrier, jumps over player on the ground
- First rep in a two-point stance, loops inside, quick movement, but ball out quick
- Quick get-off, ball is out quick but, Dayo is off the ball in a hurry, also extends his arm and attempts to dip under the LT, good rep
- Last-second switch from two-point to four-point stance and he is late off the ball, tries to use power, then stacks LT, swims over to get past him but ball is out
- First rep on RT, pulling O-lineman blocks Dayo, but minimal gain
- VS RT, no real plan of attack on that pass rush rep
- VS RT, run rep and Dayo swims to get past RT but run goes for 4 yards other way
- Vs RT late off the snap, switching between alignments and stances but does force quick throw
- False start LT
- Good get-off vs RT, wide alignment, but hands were way off, RT arm resting on top of the RT’s shoulder,
- Quick pass opposite side
- Nice rep vs LT, gets out of stance low, uses long arms to stack and shed. Run goes other way, but nice fundamentally sound rep
- Gets upfield vs LT, sets edge and in good position, TE lead block to his side, TE knocks Dayo off balance and he falls to the ground, lane created for WR on reverse for 4 yards, he does get back in on the tackle at the end
- LT stops Dayo in his tracks, tries long arm, swim but nothing, wide open passing option in flat, need a quick counter
- Nothing on next rep vs LT, in a two-point stance, chopping his feet before making contact with LT, ball out
- Really good run stop vs RT, gets hand into RT’s chest, keeps him there with one arm, locates ball carrier and makes tackle for 1-yard gain.
- Drop back in coverage on third-and-9
- Double team at the end of half pass attempt
- VS LT, nice initial pop, extends arm but doesn’t get off block fast enough until ball carrier passes him
- Nice hands fighting off block from LG, sees the ball go out to the flat and heads that way, gets in on the tackle
- Dayo exposes his chest on swim and is completely engulfed by LT and LG
- Run goes opposite side
- On RT side, crashes hard and gets RB after he gains 4 yards on first down
- Screen pass to opposite side, third and long, not muc
