The Chicago Bears have made it to April, yet the pass rush remains a concern. Finishing tied for the seventh-fewest sacks last season (35) was unacceptable, which is why the Bears need to find a way to add more quarterback disruptors to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's unit.
Unfortunately, doing so might be easier said than done. The Bears don't have the financial wiggle room to make a big move right now; they only have $243,078 in available cap space, per OverTheCap.
Conversely, that doesn't mean they can't add another pass rusher via trade.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Isaiah McGuire is a solid backup and potential trade candidate, and the Bears could certainly use someone like him. Now that the first wave of free agency is over, it's time for general manager Ryan Poles to pick up the phone.
Bears Should Inquire About Isaiah McGuire
Alex Wright is expected to start opposite Myles Garrett for the Browns next season, and they may add someone else in the middle rounds of the NFL draft. That leaves McGuire, who's on the final year of his rookie deal, as the potential odd man out.
McGuire has been a solid contributor despite being a backup for most of his career. Last season, he played in all 17 games and made eight starts, logging 30 total tackles (17 solo) with eight tackles for loss, six QB hits, one forced fumble, and 2.0 sacks. He's got 5.5 sacks in his three years in the league.
Former Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had him constantly rotate with Wright, and their outstanding pass-rush didn't miss a beat when he was on the field. He's bendy, fast, and physical, and he may only need a change of scenery to break out and show what he can do without all the competition for snaps.
On top of that, McGuire is an above-average run-defender at the position, as made evident by his 75.5 run-defense grade on Pro Football Focus, which ranked 13th among 115 eligible edge rushers. He had 17 run stops in 175 run defense snaps, and he's only missed five tackles in his three-year career.
Financially, McGuire carries a cap hit of just $3.6 million heading into Year 4, per Spotrac. That's the type of team-friendly contract that Chicago should be looking to add.
The Bears' defense allowed 24.4 points per game, ranking 23rd in the league. Their 227.2 passing yards allowed ranked 22nd, and their inability to put pressure at the line of scrimmage had plenty to do with that.
McGuire may not be a star, but he's certainly an upgrade over Dayo Odeyingbo or Austin Booker, at least potentially. That alone makes a potential trade with the Browns something that Poles & Co. must explore ahead of the NFL draft.