For months, the Chicago Bears were mentioned as one of Cameron Jordan's potential destinations. His future with the New Orleans Saints was murky at best, and his connection to Dennis Allen made him a feasible alternative.
The weeks went by, and it looked like those rumors never had any legs. The fit was obvious, and the need was evident, but nothing happened. Ultimately, Jordan stayed home, and he'll be back in the Big Easy for at least another season.
Whether that was always the plan remains to be seen, though it doesn't sound like it. Otherwise, they would've gotten the deal done much earlier. As such, not being aggressive and trying to sign him might be Ryan Poles' biggest offseason mistake.
The Bears will regret not making a run at Cam Jordan
Even at his age, Jordan proved to age like a fine wine. He's coming off having 10.5 sacks in the first season under Kellen Moore, showing that he can still be one of the deadliest headhunters in the game.
Jordan didn't even need to play more than half of the snaps to make an impact on defense, and he would've been a massive upgrade for the Bears. They need someone to start opposite Montez Sweat, and with Dayo Odeyingbo coming back from injury and the uncertainty surrounding Shemar Turner, the Bears should've been all over him.
Jordan spent most of his career playing for Dennis Allen. He was his defensive coordinator and then head coach with the Saints, so he might be the best-suited coach to bring out his best. He would've been a seamless fit for a team desperate for help in the defensive line.
Poles and the front office look quite convinced that this team should do just fine as currently constructed. That's despite failing to put pressure at the line of scrimmage and not having another reliable pass rusher besides Sweat.
Time and time again, the Bears have chosen to look the other way when they could've addressed this issue. From adding another wide receiver and tight end in the NFL Draft to not even bothering to try to sign a player with obvious ties to the coaching staff, this approach has been questionable at best.
The Bears shocked the world in the first year of the Ben Johnson era, but every season is different. The schedule will be tougher, divisional rivals got better, and the Bears won't sneak up on anybody now that they have a full season's worth of film on them. They ignored their biggest need, and it might doom them in 2026.
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