The Chicago Bears shocked the world with a deep postseason run in the first year of the Ben Johnson era. Now, they must prove that last year's success wasn't a fluke and shake off that 'one-year wonder' label.
Notably, general manager Ryan Poles may not have gotten the memo. The Bears' front office has ignored the team's most evident need, and they seem ready to roll into next season with the same mediocre pass-rushing unit.
Fortunately for them, they still have a couple of options to save face and turn the offseason around. Considering that, ESPN analyst Aaron Schatz urged them to stop messing around and sign Joey Bosa.
The Bears need to sign Joey Bosa soon
"Bosa had a 12.2% pass rush win rate last season, 26th among qualifying edge rushers, to go along with five sacks for Buffalo. He has played most of his career with his hand on the ground, so he's probably the best fit for Chicago's 4-3 base out of the top three available veteran pass rushers," argued Schatz.
Montez Sweat is a solid pass rusher, and he should be in for another strong year in the Windy City. However, the Bears don't have much more besides him. Austin Booker (4.5) and Dayo Odeyingbo (1.0) combined for a grand total of 5.5 sacks, and neither of them played all 17 games.
Odeyingbo is working his way back from an injury, and the Bears must be hoping that he can return to his 2023 form, when he had a career-high 8.0 sacks for the Indianapolis Colts. That said, that season looks more like a fluke than the norm, as he's combined to register 9.5 sacks in his other four seasons.
Joey Bosa clearly isn't at the peak of his powers anymore. Also, the mere fact that he's still unsigned should raise some concerns about his desire to return or his fitness. He also comes with a history of injuries, though he's been healthy for the past couple of years.
Nevertheless, we're talking about someone who led the league with five forced fumbles last season. His 5.0 sacks might not be as impressive at this point in his career, but he would be an obvious upgrade in obvious pass situations for Dennis Allen's defense.
The Bears won't sneak up on anybody in 2026. The rest of the league has an entire season's worth of film to crack down on their strengths and weaknesses. Their lack of a reliable pass rush could be a catastrophe, especially in a stacked NFC North, arguably the league's most competitive division.
Bosa isn't a superstar anymore, and he won't be a long-term solution for Ben Johnson's team, but he's the best player available. Beggars can't be choosers, and Ryan Poles still has a chance to do the right thing.
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