The Chicago Bears didn't add any edge rushers to their team this offseason, but would general manager Ryan Poles consider signing this veteran free agent?
With how the Chicago Bears' 2025 season ended, there was an obvious move that most fans expected general manager Ryan Poles to make -- adding an edge rusher to upgrade Dennis Allen's unit.
That didn't happen in free agency or the draft. So the Bears are bringing back nearly the same group that struggled throughout most of last season. How the Bears plan to address the weakness on defense is with coaching that emphasizes fundamentals and technique at the D-line position.
It will likely take regular season games to see if there is a significant impact on the unit. The only other option for the Bears is to add a veteran at some point throughout the summer.
Defensive lineman Cam Jordan has ties to Allen from their time in New Orleans, but Jordan re-signed a one-year contract to end his career with the Saints, taking a potential option to address the D-line off the board.
ESPN's Aaron Schatz went through 32 final offseason moves that each team can make to put each organization in a better situation this upcoming season. To help Chicago's defensive line, Schatz has the Bears signing Joey Bosa.
Here is Schatz's explanation for the move.
"You're going to notice a trend in the NFC North, where all four teams could probably use another veteran pass rusher. The Bears got 4.5 sacks out of Austin Booker in 10 games last season, but Dayo Odeyingbo was disappointing with just a single sack in eight games after signing a big contract to come over from Indianapolis.
Bosa had a 12.2% pass rush win rate last season, 26th among qualifying edge rushers, to go along with five sacks for Buffalo. He has played most of his career with his hand on the ground, so he's probably the best fit for Chicago's 4-3 base out of the top three available veteran pass rushers."
Bosa fits a need and is a scheme fit in Allen's defense at 6-foot-5, 280 pounds. On paper, this feels like a logical move that the Bears could make to add another veteran on the edge.
A potential contract for Bosa could be $11 million for one year, which is what complicates the situation for Chicago.
The Bears have already invested heavily in their defensive line. Montez Sweat has a $25,085,294 cap hit this season, the most on the team. Dayo Odeyingbo has the fourth-highest cap number ($20,500,000), and Grady Jarrett is right behind in fifth with his $18,925,000 number.
The Bears committed to the defensive line, and now it's up to the current players on the roster to produce. Austin Booker has made aa positive impression on coach Ben Johnson with his body transformation, and the team used a second-round draft pick to select Shemar Turner last season.
Outside of the financial commitment, Bosa's injury history must be taken into account. The veteran edge rusher played just 14 games from 2022-23. He has been more healthy the last two seasons, playing in 14 regular-season games in 2024 and 15 last season.
Given the Bears' struggles to rush the quarterback last season, adding an edge rusher should've been a given, but the Bears chose to take a different approach to address the position.
