The Chicago Bears had every reason to wonder whether they had wasted $48 million on Dayo Odeyingbo. Eight games, one sack and a torn Achilles. That was essentially what they got from their prized free agent signing in 2025.
It's hard to imagine a worse beginning to a three-year contract, especially for a player brought in specifically to improve the pass rush. But four games into the new season, Odeyingbo has already tripled his sack total from last year. And Chicago's defense suddenly looks like it belongs among the better units in football.
Dayo Odeyingbo is making people forget about 2025
Remember when the Bears signed Odeyingbo away from Indianapolis? There was some excitement, although the $48 million price tag raised eyebrows.
He had recorded eight sacks for the Colts in 2023, so Chicago wasn't exactly throwing money at an unknown player. The talent was there. Whether he could consistently deliver that kind of production was another question.
His first season answered absolutely nothing.
Odeyingbo struggled to get near opposing quarterbacks before tearing his Achilles against Cincinnati. Considering the nature of the injury, expecting an immediate turnaround this season probably seemed optimistic.
Yet here we are.
Three sacks in four games, along with 12 quarterback pressures. Those aren't numbers you'd expect from someone still working his way back from a major injury.
He was particularly effective against the Jets, recording a sack, a tackle for loss and a pass defended.
It's worth remembering that Chicago doesn't need him to record double-digit sacks to make this contract worthwhile. Getting into the backfield and making quarterbacks uncomfortable was the whole point of signing him.
That's something the Bears have been missing for a while.
Chicago's defense is finally giving opponents problems
The Bears held the Jets to 157 yards of offense last Sunday.
That's not a typo.
New York picked up seven first downs, failed on all eight third-down attempts and managed just 12 points. Chicago's defense spent much of the afternoon making the Jets look like they hadn't practiced together.
Now, there's an obvious argument against getting too excited. The Jets aren't exactly loaded with offensive firepower.
Fair enough.
But the Bears have allowed only 28 points over their last three games. At some point, you have to acknowledge that the defense is doing something right.
Dennis Allen deserves some credit here. His group looks more comfortable, and the defensive line is creating opportunities that simply weren't there a year ago.
Odeyingbo's improvement is a big part of that.
When defensive linemen get pressure without needing extra help, everything behind them becomes easier. Allen can keep more players in coverage rather than sending additional defenders after the quarterback.
That's particularly valuable for a team that has spent years watching opposing quarterbacks stand in the pocket with seemingly all afternoon to throw.
There will be games when Chicago's offense struggles. There already have been. Having a defense capable of keeping those games close could make a considerable difference over the next few months.
Ryan Poles might actually get the last laugh
General manager Ryan Poles has heard plenty about his free agent decisions, and Odeyingbo was shaping up to be another expensive mistake.
One sack for $48 million? Fans had every right to complain.
Of course, injuries aren't something a general manager can predict. But that doesn't make the contract any easier to swallow when the player isn't producing.
Now Odeyingbo is healthy, getting pressure and contributing to a defense that has been difficult to score against.
Nobody should be handing Poles a victory lap just yet. We're talking about four games, not four months. There's still plenty of football left, and the Bears will face much better offenses than the Jets.
But there's a difference between hoping an investment works out and actually seeing results.
For the first time since signing Odeyingbo, Chicago is getting the latter.
And considering how badly the Bears needed someone to step up along the defensive line, his resurgence couldn't have arrived at a better time.
Maybe that $48 million wasn't such a bad investment after all.
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