GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson have received widespread praise for their work this offseason. On paper, the Chicago Bears took a considerable step forward. They added quality starters in key areas and significantly improved team depth as well. If things go as hoped, this team can win 10-11 games and reach the playoffs. However, they need a strong majority of their most important decisions to produce at least somewhat. They can’t just hope guys who were already on the roster somehow take big steps forward.
History says the odds don’t favor every decision working out. There is always one notable name who failed to meet expectations, either due to poor production or injuries. Last season, that dubious honor went to Gerald Everett. The tight end was a complete non-factor for the Bears’ offense all season. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes it will be one of the team’s most notable defensive additions this time, believing big defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo will be a disappointment.
“Edge-defender Dayo Odeyingbo was a good rotational player for three seasons with the Colts before emerging as a starter last year. However, expectations for him are set to jump after he signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Chicago Bears.
Unfortunately, Odeyingbo will have a difficult time living up to those higher expectations. Though a starting-caliber end, he’s unlikely to provide a massive boost to Chicago’s sack production. The 25-year-old had just three sacks, seven tackles for loss and 19 QB pressures in 17 games last season.”
Much of this depends on the Chicago Bears’ expectations.
They signed Odeyingbo to become a complementary piece opposite Montez Sweat. Do they have a specific sack total in mind for him? If it’s 10 or more, then yeah, it might be a disappointing year. Odeyingbo has never had more than eight sacks in a season. That includes his time at Vanderbilt in college. He just isn’t a natural sack guy. He’s big, strong, and has great length. He can weaponize that to become a strong edge-setter against the run and is disruptive to the pocket. However, he doesn’t have the closing speed to ensure lots of sacks. Maybe the light switch goes on. Maybe Dennis Allen finds smarter ways to use him than Gus Bradley did. The key with Odeyingbo for the Chicago Bears is understanding who he is. He’s not a star. If you remember that, then expectations shouldn’t get out of control.
