The return of Dayo Odeyingbo has been notable to his Chicago Bears teammates. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett noted that he is already seeing the impact due to his versatility.
“Playing both end spots, coming inside to rush when we have rush downs,” said Jarrett on the role that Odeyingbo takes. “He’s a chess piece for us that can definitely play inside and outside at a really high level.”
The role is valuable if the player is effective. The question is whether Odeyingbo can be that player.
Chicago Bears Teammates See Big Year From Dayo Odeyingbo
This is one area where the Bears did not feature him nearly enough last season. He had always been used as an interior rusher for the Indianapolis Colts, and when he was being deployed correctly, the team got the most production out of him.
The issue was early into last season the team did not have nearly enough depth on the edges. So, they needed Odeyingbo to stay outside on passing downs. It hurt his production, and it did not allow the defense to hit its peaks with him in the lineup.
The only good news is that the injury to Odeyingbo coincided with the return of Austin Booker into the lineup. Booker returned in Week 9; Odeyingbo got hurt in Week 9.
Booker only played 283 snaps in his rookie year and was a major question entering year two. However, he played 520 snaps in his second season and went from 1.5 sacks to 4.5 in his second season.
So, the team officially has another edge rusher they can use. Booker started to wear down later in the year because he is more of a pass rusher than a run defender. Now, with Odeyingbo and Booker healthy at the same time, the team has a chance to put both in their best positions.
Odeyingbo can play the run on the outside, but slide inside on pass-rushing downs, making him more impactful overall. Booker does not have to play nearly as many rushing-down snaps now thanks to the return of Odeyingbo. So, when he does get on the field, he will be at his best. The team will get a fast and rested Booker flying off of the edge for the full season.
It is fair for Bears fans to be concerned after Odeyingbo's first season with the team. However, with this change in role, the team should start to see what they signed in free agency last year.
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