The Chicago Bears' defense needs to put pressure on the quarterback after finishing tied for the seventh-fewest sacks (35) last season. However, they may not have the personnel suited to excel at that.
Dayo Odeyingbo didn't play well when healthy, and he may miss the start of the season as he works his way back from injury. Austin Booker was inconsistent, making it clear how much the Bears need someone who can wreak havoc opposite Montez Sweat.
That's why, even though he's clearly not the youngest guy in free agency, the Bears can't afford to let Joey Bosa sign with another team. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen needs an enforcer, and Bosa is the right guy for the job.
Joey Bosa Could Help Bolster Bears' Pass Rush
While he's clearly no longer at the peak of his powers and he'll always come with some injury concerns, Bosa is arguably the best pass rusher available in free agency. That's the main area of need in Chicago, so this one's pretty self-explanatory.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles would probably have to get a little creative to sign Bosa, though. Spotrac projects his next contract to be for two years and $27.4 million, and while that's more than reasonable, the Bears only have $243,000 in available cap space, according to OverTheCap.
That said, Bosa might be available for a more team-friendly deal given that the buzz surrounding free agency has died down.
Bosa will be 31 next season, but he's still a reliable contributor. He's coming off logging leading the league with five forced fumbles while posting five sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 16 QB hits last season, and that's despite only playing in 64 percent of the snaps. He'd probably have to rotate in Chicago as well, but that would also make him an elite mentor for any young pass rusher the Bears might take in the NFL draft.
Bosa has amassed 77.0 sacks in his 10-year career. He's a five-time Pro Bowler and one of the most productive headhunters of his generation, logging four seasons with double digits in sacks. His best years might be behind him, but he can be an elite high-impact placeholder for whoever comes next to Chicago.
The Bears have already shown that they can put up points like the best of them, but after posting the second-lowest pass-rush win rate last season (via ESPN) and averaging just 2.1 sacks per game, it's become painfully evident that they'll have to make some desperate moves to get better.
Signing such an injury-prone pass rusher might look like desperation, but Bosa's résumé and recent performance should at least have the Bears willing to consider a deal.