Bears' edge rusher battle could quietly define the 2026 defense

Aaron Schatz of ESPN recently went through one nonstarter to know for every NFL team entering the 2026 season. For the Chicago Bears, the choice was clear. Whether it be Dayo Odeyingbo or Austin Booker starting, the other is going to be the most important non-starter.

Chicago Bears' third edge rusher was called out by ESPN

Schatz called Booker the starter and Odeyingbo the nonstarter to know. However, that might be what makes Odeyingbo so valuable. If he can get healthy and get back to the way the Bears expect, he would likely be the starter.

Austin Booker had a breakout year when asked to take on a bigger role in 2025. He should be a part of the mix in 2026, but in a perfect world, he is used as a speed rusher who can come in on pass-rushing situations. The Bears had to ramp up their run defense snaps, and it started to take away from his pass-rushing impact.

On the flip side, Odeyingbo is the bigger, more powerful rusher. He is known more as a strong run defender than Booker. However, he already lacked legitimate pass rush juice, and now he is coming back from an Achilles injury.

The hope is that he does not lose the power and leverage that make him effective against the run. However, expecting him to continue to have potential as a pass rusher is likely asking for too much.

So, on early downs, the plan would be to use Odeyingbo more. Then, if he does his job and the team is facing obvious passing scenarios, they can bring in Booker. It would be getting the most out of the duo.

That is why it does not matter which one is starting. Both players should see meaningful snaps throughout the season. The Bears are likely to rotate them based on situations rather than treat one as a traditional full-time starter. So, it will depend on the down, distance, and what position the Bears put the opposition in as to whether they lean run or pass against the team.

However, what does matter is that both of the rushers across from Montez Sweat are at their best. Whether that be Odeyingbo getting healthier and back onto the field, or Booker taking a step forward after being thrown into a tough role.

The Bears opted to roll with these two rather than upgrade the starter across from Sweat. So, the pressure is on both of them entering the year.

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