The Chicago Bears roster appears set for the most part. The final preseason game was an exercise to see which players might be able to sneak onto the final 53 at the bottom of the depth chart. Names like Ryan Nall and Doran Grant were among those who made convincing cases. That aside, there is something else that is bound to happen within the next 24 hours.
For months GM Ryan Pace has insisted the Bears are satisfied with where they are at the edge rusher position. This after the team unloaded several key veterans in Pernell McPhee, Willie Young, and Lamarr Houston. It was apparent the defense wanted to go with a youth movement as Sam Acho was the only player at the position over the age of 29.
Unfortunately, the best-laid plans never survive contact with reality. In the past four weeks, the outside linebacker position has endured a string of setbacks that reinforces the fear people had about it from the start of the offseason. Now the situation may have gotten even worse.
Kasim Edebali the latest loss for Chicago Bears roster at edge rusher
The Bears were already tagged with significant injuries when Leonard Floyd broke his hand against Cincinnati. This in addition to notable free agent Aaron Lynch missing all of training camp and preseason with a hamstring issue. Now matters got even worse as another of their signings, Kasim Edebali was carted off against Buffalo with some sort of lower leg injury.
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Kasim Edebali might have been 1 quarter away from making the #Bears … and has a baby due next week. He was just helped off the field with a right leg injury and taken off in a cart. Brutal sport.
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) August 31, 2018
Edebali had been having a strong preseason with a sack and multiple quarterback pressures across four appearances. It seemed possible he might be playing his way onto the roster. Then the injury happened. He said after the game it might not be as bad as it looked, but further tests will reveal whether that’s true.
Kasim Edebali with the pressure and John Timu with the INT. @TheDreamKasim @johntimu_10 #bears #NFLPreseason pic.twitter.com/tdty4MkIr7
— Jake Perper (@BearsBacker) August 31, 2018
What makes this significant is just how far the Bears pass rush fell off without him. Edebali went down at the start of the fourth quarter. The defense would go on to allow 25 points in 15 minutes, much of it due to their inability to consistently pressure Bills quarterback A.J. McCarron. It’s not a good sign when your pass rush falls apart that easily after losing a journeyman player.
The Bears play Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson in their first two games of 2018. Do they really believe this pass rush can get the job done against them in its current state? They shouldn’t. Somehow they must find a way to bring in some help. Roster cuts are looming across the NFL. It shouldn’t surprise anybody if they make one or even two moves at outside linebacker before the dust settles.
