One position group that the Chicago Bears must address in the latter stages of free agency is their pass unit. Thus far, the Bears have made no EDGE rusher signings, despite only having 35 sacks in 2025, which was good for 24th in the league.
Instead, Chicago has bolstered its interior defensive line with the additions of Neville Gallimore and Kentavius Street. The Bears hope those two guys will make an immediate impact, as if they can push up the middle, it could free up the rushers off the edge.
However, that still doesn’t completely solve the Bears’ pass-rushing woes. The Bears need to make a signing or two to pair with the players they already have at defensive end. Luckily for them, there are pass rushers available depending on how much Chicago is willing to spend. One possible option for general manager Ryan Poles at this stage of free agency is former Bear Leonard Floyd. Floyd spent the first four years of his career in the Windy City, after they drafted him ninth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Leonard Floyd Should Be on Bears’ Radar to Add Depth to Pass Rush Unit
In his first four years with the Bears, Floyd played in a 3-4 defense and recorded 44 quarterback hits, 26 tackles for loss, and 18.5 sacks.
The Bears released the former first-round pick in March 2020 to free up some cap space, which led him to sign a one-year, $10 million contract with the Los Angeles Rams. Floyd impressed in his first year with the Rams, racking up 19 quarterback hits, 11 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks.
That performance led to Floyd being re-signed for four years at $64 million, allowing the pass rusher to stick around in Los Angeles for two more seasons, where he wreaked havoc on opposing QBs with 18.5 combined sacks, ultimately winning a Super Bowl in 2021.
Floyd’s time in Los Angeles ended following the 2022 season, but again found success in his next two stops in Buffalo and San Francisco, playing in 4-3 defensive schemes as a defensive end, not an outside linebacker. With the Bills, he had 10.5 sacks, and with the 49ers, Floyd posted 8.5 sacks. That isn’t too shabby for a pass rusher in his early 30s and being a full-time starter.
However, what might concern the Bears is that Floyd’s production dropped off this past season with the Atlanta Falcons, who took a one-year, $10 million flier on the former first-round pick. He was a full-time starter, but only had 19 quarterback pressures, 11 quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
That’s a stark drop off from what he was doing in Buffalo and San Francisco. According to Pro Football Focus, Floyd had a 61.8 pass rush and a 60.0 run defense grade, which isn’t terrible for a player at his age.
That being said, Spotrac has Floyd’s market value as a one-year, $8.9 million deal, which is a bit pricey for a player who just went from 8.5 to 3.5 sacks. However, the Bears aren’t in a position to be picky, and considering that Floyd’s 3.5 sacks would rank fourth on last year’s team behind Montez Sweat (10), Gervon Dexter (6.5), and Austin Booker (4.5), it is worth seeing whether a reunion could be in the cards.
For the Bears to be a legit Super Bowl contender in the NFC, they need to have supreme depth on the defensive line, which means multiple guys who can get to the quarterback. Floyd might be on the older side, but on a one-year deal, why not bring him back to see if he can help the Bears get to the big game in 2026?