The Bears needed another pass rusher. That was obvious in March, remained obvious after the draft and had not magically changed by the middle of August. Their reported deal with Marcus Davenport is late, risky and probably inexpensive. It also makes plenty of sense.
Sources: The #Bears are signing DL Marcus Davenport, per sources.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 17, 2026
Davenport, the former 1st-round pick, has previously played for Dennis Allen when he was in New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/kCEpJydunf
Chicago waited long enough to address the problem
Montez Sweat led Chicago with 10 sacks last season. Gervon Dexter added six. From there, the production dropped off rather quickly.
Overall, the Bears finished with 35 sacks and ranked 22nd in the league. They were also 29th in pressure percentage. For all the talk about Dennis Allen creating havoc with his scheme, even a creative coordinator needs somebody who can beat a blocker once in a while.
Chicago did not make a major investment at the position during the offseason. A trade for an established star would have been exciting, but it also would have required draft picks and money the Bears were apparently unwilling to surrender.
Davenport is the other end of that spectrum. He played for $1.65 million in Detroit last season and remained available well into training camp. His deal with Chicago has not been finalized publicly, but he is unlikely to suddenly command a pile of guaranteed cash.
That lowers the stakes considerably.
Dennis Allen has seen the good version of Marcus Davenport
Davenport is not arriving as a mystery to the coaching staff. He spent five years with the Saints and played under Allen in New Orleans.
That connection is important because Allen was around when Davenport was actually healthy and productive. The former first-round pick recorded nine sacks in 11 games in 2021. He was powerful against the run, could collapse the pocket and occasionally looked like the player New Orleans traded two first-round selections to acquire.
Occasionally is doing some work there.
Davenport never became a consistent star. Still, Chicago does not need him to turn back into the ninth overall pick. The Bears need 20 or 25 useful snaps, some pressure opposite Sweat and another body capable of surviving against the run.
If Allen can get that much from him, the signing has value.
Bears are accepting an obvious risk
The injury history is ugly.
Davenport played four games after signing a $13 million contract with Minnesota in 2023. His two seasons with Detroit produced only 10 appearances. He finished last year with one sack and seven quarterback pressures.
No team viewed those numbers and immediately cleared out cap space for him. Shocking, really.
The Bears are betting that a smaller role and a familiar defense can squeeze something useful from Davenport before another injury arrives. Perhaps it works. Perhaps everyone remembers why he was still unemployed in August.
Either outcome should not dramatically affect Chicago’s future. That is the appeal.
Davenport is not the pass rusher Bears fans spent the offseason hoping Ryan Poles would acquire. He is the affordable option available after the expensive ones disappeared. Considering how little proven depth Chicago had behind Sweat, doing nothing would have been the bigger gamble.
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