The Chicago Bears need to get stronger in the trenches. ESPN ranked them 31st in pass-rush win rate last season, and more often than not, they didn't do a great job of keeping the opposing quarterback on his toes, as their 35 total sacks as a team would suggest.
That's why it's not much of a surprise to hear head coach Ben Johnson say they will look to add "trained killers" to the defense in the NFL draft, according to Bears NFL Draft analyst Ben Devine. Notably, that might spell trouble for Dayo Odeyingbo, as he carries a sizeable contract into the 2026 campaign and is coming off a significant injury.
Dayo Odeyingbo Needs to Step Up Next Season
Odeyingbo's first season in the Windy City was cut short with a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 9. He'll probably be ready to roll for the start of the season, but even if that's the case, the odds are high that he will have a big target on his back from both opposing offensive lines as well as peers looking to take his spot in Chicago.
In his eight appearances, the former Indianapolis Colts pass rusher registered just one sack. He had 21 total tackles, two of which were for loss, four QB hits, and one pass defensed. Even if his season was cut short, that's not encouraging from someone who was coming off getting just 3.0 sacks in 2024. The Bears averaged just 2.1 sacks per game last season, tied for 21st in the league. All that points to is the need for disruptors up front on defense, and Odeyingbo has yet to prove he can be that player in Chicago.
Pro Football Focus ranked Odeyingbo at 102nd among 115 eligible players at his position with an overall grade of 53.5 and a pass-rush grade of 57.0 (96th). Pro Football Sports Network was a little less harsh, with its algorithm giving him a 78.2 PFSN Impact Grade, ranking 40th at his position, earning a C+ evaluation. Clearly, there are some intangibles, and those algorithms are flawed, but both agree that the defender just wasn't good enough.
The Bears will be on the clock at No. 25 in April's draft, and it would be shocking if they didn't use their first-round pick to add a pass rusher. While Rueben Bain Jr., Arvell Reese, and David Bailey will all be gone by then, they can still get potential stars like Zion Young, T.J. Parker, Akheem Mesidor, or Cashius Howell. They need someone to put pressure on the quarterback, and while plenty of that comes with talent and technique, the mindset also plays a big factor.
Ben Johnson is keeping a tight ship and letting everybody know that anything less than 100 percent effort will not be tolerated. His offense responded to that tough approach in year one, and now it's time for the guys on the other side of the field to do the same.