The Chicago Bears have a few important holes to fill in the offseason. What is the biggest need for the Bears ahead of the 2026 season is in the eye of the beholder, but it's undeniable that the Bears could use more depth and quality in the pass rush. Safety and linebacker may be considered more pressing needs for Chicago, but the Bears' lack of elite pass rushing put a cap on their defensive upside.
The team attempted to address this need at the trade deadline as the Bears were reportedly interested in Jaelan Phillips, who was with the Miami Dolphins at the time. Instead, it was the Eagles who acquired him using a third-round pick. It turns out, however, the Bears may have another shot at bringing him to Chicago this spring.
The Athletic's Zach Berman reported on Tuesday that the Eagles aren't planning to use the franchise or transition tag on any of their free agents, including Phillips. This will make the 26-year-old defender available on the market for the Bears to make a competitive offer.
Jaelan Phillips May Be an Option for Bears in Free Agency
Phillips made his presence known in Philly immediately last season. In the eight regular-season games, he had seven QB hits, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble. He received a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 77.1 in that span, which obviously helped boost his value around the league.
Now, Phillips is considered one of the best free-agent defenders on the market. In fact, Spotrac puts his market value for annual average salary at $17.3 million for his next contract. Among EDGE rushers, this is only behind Trey Hendrickson, Odafe Oweh, Khalil Mack, and Kwity Paye in free agency.
Chicago will certainly have competition for Phillips, or any elite pass rusher's services. Every team is trying to fortify its pass rush, and there simply aren't many difference-makers at the position to go around. How much the Bears will be willing to break the bank for Phillips, therefore, remains to be seen.
The Bears have Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, Shemar Turner, and Dayo Odeyingbo coming back. Turner and Odeyingbo are coming off season-ending injuries, so how impactful they will be next season is unclear. Booker showed a ton of promise in the second half of the season and will be a key option on the defensive line. Yet, the Bears only had 35 sacks last season and were a bottom-ten defensive unit both in points and yards allowed.
Investing their resources into the pass rush makes plenty of sense for the Bears. Whether that comes in the form of draft picks or signing a capable veteran free agent, however, will be a fascinating decision GM Ryan Poles has to make.