The Chicago Bears didn’t make any significant moves along the defensive line for months. Their only notable additions came from mid- and lower-tier free agents (Neville Gallimore and James Lynch), followed by a 6th-round pick (Jordan Van Den Berg). No edge rushers to be seen. This is despite Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner both recovering from serious injuries. It was beyond puzzling. Finally, the Bears seemed to acquiesce somewhat when they added 29-year-old Marcus Davenport, a former 1st round pick.
It at least made sense. Davenport spent years in New Orleans under Dennis Allen, the Bears’ defensive coordinator. That connection made it possible for the team to know how to get something from the pass rusher. Something that hasn’t been the case in the past four years. After a down year to end his Saints tenure, Davenport was slammed by injury problems in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Even if he’s somehow overcome that health crisis, scouts aren’t convinced he’ll be much help. One explained why to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
“The problem with him is he can’t bend very well and he’s very straight-line,” a pro scout for another team said. “Straight-line power guy, and it hasn’t translated to production for a long time. Plus he’s had a lot of injuries. He’s a rotational defensive end who cannot be counted on.”
Marcus Davenport feels like a temporary bandage at best.
This is not somebody who will start for the Bears this season. His body isn’t in that kind of state anymore. What the Bears need is a rotational edge defender who can give them two or three pressures on the quarterback each week. If Davenport can somehow produce 5 or 6 sacks this season, that would be a big win for this team. Montez Sweat and Austin Booker are the primary combo. They were highly effective together down the stretch of last season. Dayo Odeyingbo will likely slot into a run-stopping role before moving inside on passing downs.
That foursome should be able to produce at a decent level if everybody is healthy. Unfortunately, that is a lot to ask for. Marcus Davenport hasn’t played more than eight games in a season since 2022. Expecting that to somehow change as his body gets older is unrealistic. The hope for the Bears is that a reduced role might prevent added wear and tear. Booker and Odeyingbo have health concerns of their own, as well. The Bears have done some really good things building this roster over the past couple of years.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
Their construction of the defensive line has not been one of them.
| Season | Team | Games | Sacks | Hurries | QB Hits | Total Pressures | PFF Pass-Rush Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Detroit Lions | 8 | 1.0 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 55.8 |
| 2024 | Detroit Lions | 2 | 0.5 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 53.1 |
| 2023 | Minnesota Vikings | 4 | 2.0 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 55.4 |
| 2022 | New Orleans Saints | 15 | 0.5 | 22 | 8 | 30 | 76.8 |
The Bears can’t keep dodging the issue forever.
This organization has not drafted an edge rusher in the 1st round since Leonard Floyd in 2016. That 10-year gap is the longest in franchise history. They haven’t taken a true defensive lineman since Tommie Harris in 2004. For too long, this team has relied way too heavily on older free agents (Julius Peppers and Akiem Hicks) and expensive trade acquisitions (Adewale Ogunleye and Khalil Mack) to solve their pass rush issues. General manager Ryan Poles should not escape criticism for how he’s handled this entire situation.
His biggest additions, like Odeyingbo, Grady Jarrett, and Justin Jones, have disappointed. Sweat is by far his best acquisition, but that came via trade. None of Poles’ draft picks have ascended to true star status. Gervon Dexter has been solid. Yet he’s now apparently on the trade block. How much longer will the Bears go before getting serious about this issue? Only they can answer that.
