The Chicago Bears roster is set, but that does not mean they are done making moves. ESPN insider Dan Graziano recently wrote that he would not be surprised if the Bears traded for an edge rusher sooner rather than later.
Graziano notes that Poles is the type of General Manager to make a big trade, and that the edge rusher room remains a weakness.
"Bears GM Ryan Poles has been an active and aggressive trader in his time with the team, and he'll turn over every rock he can, looking for an impact player up front. The Bears' health issues on defense might be more concentrated on the back end, but improving the pass rush would help the secondary, too."Dan Graziano
Chicago Bears are still in the edge rusher market
Chicago has been trying to fix the edge room since they hired Poles as General Manager. So far, his best addition has been via the trade. They signed Dayo Odeyingbo as their current starter across from Montez Sweat.
However, he was a disappointment in year one before an injury sidelined him for the rest of the year. He appears to be healthy, but time will tell.
Their best draft pick on the current roster is Austin Booker. The former fourth-round pick started to come into his own by the end of the 2025 season. Still, his best role is likely as a rotational pass rusher.
Beyond that, he is currently banged up. So, between the three avenues, their trade asset has helped them most. Also, the questions from their free-agent and draft acquisitions are why they might have to make a trade.
Chicago does have some depth, though. They kept Daniel Hardy and Jamree Kromah on the practice squad. Hardy has been with the Bears since 2023 and has flashed in the preseason before, but not enough has translated to the regular season. Kromah has been with Chicago since 2024 and had his best preseason this summer.
They also have Marcus Davenport on the practice squad, but he is coming back from an injury and does not appear to be quite up to speed yet. Chicago has just enough that you can see why it is a bold prediction to say they will add a new edge rusher.
However, a bunch of players with questions does not provide any more answers. One of these players has to step up soon, or the Graziano prediction will come true.
| More Bears on DaWindyCity |
Add us as a preferred source on Google