The Chicago Bears are just two weeks away from free agency, and one of their biggest goals should be to upgrade their pass rush. Chicago ranked 22nd in the NFL with 35 sacks last season, and Montez Sweat and Gervon Dexter did most of the work, combining for 16 of those sacks. While Austin Booker pitched in with 4.5 sacks, the defensive line needs some help, and general manager Ryan Poles should be checking all avenues to make that happen.
Most of that work will happen when the NFL’s free agency period opens on March 11. But the Bears could also scoop up players who become available upon their team’s release. One of those opportunities came on Monday when NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Chiefs are releasing Mike Danna, making him available as a free agent.
While this wouldn’t be as splashy as trading for Maxx Crosby or reuniting with Khalil Mack, it could serve a purpose, helping the Bears revive their pass rush and giving Danna a chance to do the same for his career.
Mike Danna Could Have a Golden Opportunity with Bears After Chiefs Release
A fifth-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2020 NFL Draft, Danna was a solid contributor as the Chiefs won back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 2022 and 2023. In his first four seasons, Danna logged 17 sacks along with 129 pressures on 1,532 pass-rushing snaps according to Pro Football Focus. But things changed when he signed a three-year, $24 million contract as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season.
From there, the Chiefs didn’t get what they paid for. Danna logged 4.5 sacks but had just 38 pressures on 551 pass-rushing snaps over the first two seasons of the deal, and things hit rock bottom last year as he managed just one sack and nine pressures on 192 pass-rushing snaps.
A series of injuries didn’t help Danna’s cause, but a change of scenery could do him some good – especially if he lands with the Bears.
Sweat is already the leader of the Bears’ pass rush, and Dexter broke out as a pass rusher in his second season. Shemar Turner could also help in the middle as he returns from a torn ACL, and Chicago is hoping for better things from Grady Jarrett after a lackluster first season with the Bears.
If the interior is solid, Danna can help the Bears on the edge. Booker proved to be a fine rotational player last season, and adding Danna can add depth and some Super Bowl championship experience to the room while leaving the possibility of adding another pass rusher in free agency or the draft.
Having talented players around him could bring out the best in Danna, which has seemed to be missing over the past two years in Kansas City. With his next contract possibly being half of what he made with the Chiefs, he’d be a low-risk gamble with a solid reward and could be part of the solution to fix the Bears’ pass rush next season.