There is a very real chance the Chicago Bears will draft an edge rusher with their 1st round pick next month. If that happens, it would be the ninth time in the Super Bowl era that has happened. It is worth noting that none of the previous eight selected ever made a single Pro Bowl with the team. Not once. For such a critical position, that is a miserable hit rate. It goes a long way in explaining why the Bears have needed innovative defensive schemes like Buddy Ryan’s “46” blitz or Lovie Smith’s Tampa-2. Both can overcome the absence of a good edge rusher.

So what gives? Why have the Bears been so bad at this? Plenty of reasons will be listed. They have a poor eye for talent. Their developmental strategies have stunk. All carry valid points. However, the simplest explanation is that the team has too often focused on upside rather than proven production. I went back and looked at several of the top pass rushers from the past couple of decades to see whether their college production carried over to the NFL. For this, I used the Sacks Per Game metric. You’ll find that most of the biggest names averaged at least 0.50 sacks per game in college.

The Chicago Bears can’t get lost in the measurables.

Before anybody asks, yes, there are exceptions to the rule. Danielle Hunter (0.12), Micah Parsons (0.25), and Travon Walker (0.26) are some recent examples of players who didn’t produce in college but took off in the NFL. Often, you’ll find this is less about the light switch going on and more about how they were used. Parsons wasn’t a full-time edge rusher in college. Hunter had lots of tackles for losses, but just not many sacks. Walker played a hybrid linebacker/edge-rusher role. Still, the rule holds. Since 1980, the Bears have selected seven 1st round edge rushers. Only two crossed the 0.50 sacks per game threshold. None were 0.60 or higher.

Even the two who reached the mark come with asterisks. Thierry played at Alcorn State, an FCS school at the time. Haynes got most of his sacks (15) in his final year at Penn State, making him a one-year wonder. Floyd was close at 0.46, eventually becoming a quality rusher in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Harris and McClellin were big disappointments. Spellman never lived up to his potential.

The Bears must think about striking early.

There is lots of talent in the 2026 draft class, but only five players cross that 0.50 threshold based on their college production. Most of the others fall into the low-floor-high-ceiling category. In other words, buyer beware. Two of those five names are almost certain to be gone before the Chicago Bears pick at #25 overall. One isn’t big enough for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. That leaves two choices who fit the criteria: Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker and Illinois defensive end Gabe Jacas.

For all the buzz about Zion Young, Keldric Faulk, and Dani Dennis-Sutton, none of them produced at a level anywhere close to the desired level. Could they become exceptions in the NFL? Sure. It’s happened before. However, the odds aren’t nearly as favorable as one would think. The Bears are proof of that. They’ve been going after the toolsy players for long enough. Maybe it’s time to lean a little more into the productive ones.

The Chicago Bears have long been one of the teams expected to look hard at edge rushers in the upcoming 2026 NFL draft. Outside of Montez Sweat, nobody has really emerged as a legitimate presence that offenses must respect. Austin Booker continues to show flashes, but he’s not there yet. Chicago’s pass rush was underwhelming too often last season. That can’t continue. However, they’ve been curiously silent on the lead-up to the draft, including meetings with possible 1st-round options. The only edge rusher they’ve brought in for a visit is Mikail Kamara of Indiana. That finally changed with a report that Missouri defensive Zion Young will be coming in soon.

If you asked which players in this draft class might draw the most attention from Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as a target for edge rusher, the signs always pointed to Young. We know Allen likes his edge rushers big, long, and powerful. Think Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson in New Orleans. Few players fit that profile better than Young. He’s 6’6″, 262 lbs, and has 33-inch arms. The dimensions are there, as is the knock-back power and ability to stop the run.

Zion Young appears to be peaking at the right time.

Throughout his first three years of college, he was known mostly as a solid run defender with limited pass rush skill. Things opened up a little for him last season, collecting 6.5 sacks and a whopping 16.5 tackles for a loss. He was much better at finding ways past offensive tackles. The core issue with him is his overall lack of bend and average explosiveness. This isn’t somebody who will consistently beat blockers around the edge. He will overwhelm them with power, violence, and a non-stop motor.

Ironically, a notable comparison for him is Cam Jordan. They have similar body types and play styles. Jordan also wasn’t much of a sack guy in college. He never had more than six in any of his seasons as a starter for Cal. That offers hope that with more polish to his technique, Young will emerge as a much better pass rusher in the pros as Jordan did. His domination at the Senior Bowl offered further evidence that it’s trending in that direction.

There is a noteworthy wrinkle to this.

Last year, the Bears did not draft any of their top 30 visits. That was a significant departure from previous years. Offensive line coach Dan Roushar recently said in an interview that the team now uses those visits to learn more about players they’re not sure about. It is possible they wish to gauge his work ethic and intelligence. Those are the two key factors in determining if his game will reach the next level. Zion Young has the talent, but so have many failed 1st round pass rushers.

It’s the willingness to grind that separates the good ones from everybody else. The Bears might be curious why Young’s game isn’t more polished by this point. Why did it take him so long to have a good season? These are important questions. How Young responds may well determine whether his name gets called at the 25th pick next month.

Right now, the Chicago Bears team brass is business on the scouting trail. College programs across the country are holding their pro days for top prospects heading into the NFL. Bears GM Ryan Poles has popped up at Oklahoma, Miami, and Alabama. His top subordinates, along with members of the coaching staff, have surfaced across the country. They are putting in extra homework to prepare for the draft on April 23rd. One final step in that process will be the team’s local pro day around mid-April.

For those who don’t know, every NFL team holds an invitation-only pro day where they can bring in prospects who played high school or college football near the team’s facility. In the Bears’ case, we’re talking about the entire northeastern section of Illinois, including the city and its surrounding suburbs. Normally, these events aren’t much to write home about. Almost every player who participates in them will be an undrafted free agent. However, some years see an unusual collection of draft-capable talent. Such is the case this year with two notable names set to attend the Bears’ event.

The Chicago Bears are right to have interest in both players.

Coleman is a well-traveled wide receiver who played for three different colleges over the past three years. After leading Mississippi State with 932 yards in 2024, Coleman transferred to Missouri, where he led the team with 732 yards. In both instances, he was the leading target by a wide margin. Draft experts see a quicker-than-fast receiver with naturally good hands and the toughness to make catches in traffic. At 5’10”, 179 lbs, he is undersized for the NFL, but his ability to play in the slot offers immediate appeal. It doesn’t hurt that he also has experience as a punt returner. His strong Senior Bowl helped his draft stock considerably.

Rolder is more of a late-bloomer. He didn’t play much at Michigan until last year. However, when he got his opportunity, he made the most of it. Rolder had 73 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, two sacks, and an interception. People were surprised by his level of instincts and technique, given his experience. He’s a good athlete too, covering ground quickly to make tackles. The primary concern is his lack of coverage skills, which isn’t surprising at this stage.

The local pro day might not be a premium event, but it has served a good purpose in the past. It helped the Bears eventually sign Jack Sanborn a few years ago, who has become a quality linebacker. Cameron Meredith was an emerging wide receiver for the team in the late 2010s before a disastrous knee injury derailed his career. Nobody can say the event is pointless. With a little luck, it can lead to some good players landing on the roster. This year feels like a big opportunity.

Caleb Williams is a very good quarterback on his way to becoming great. That is all that matters to Chicago Bears fans. However, the young player has proven that for all his dedication to the game, he’s also interested in other ventures. There has been evidence for a long time that he wants to get into business ventures after his playing days. Not a surprise since his father is a businessman. To that end, he will need as much capital as possible for the day he retires. One way to get it is to secure merchandise revenue under his Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).

There is no hotter tag coming out of the 2025 season than the nickname Williams earned thanks to his death-defying 4th quarter comebacks: Iceman. Everybody has seen the celebration, rubbing his arms up and down after winning touchdown passes. People are already making shirts with it. Williams aims to get in on that action, filing trademark applications for the “Iceman” nickname, a logo, and two silhouette shots of him throwing the famous 4th down pass to Rome Odunze against Green Bay. There is just one problem.

Caleb Williams has competition.

Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times discovered that NBA icon George Gervin is preparing to battle the Bears quarterback for the rights to that nickname. After all, he used it first during his playing days in the 1970s and 1980s. Unfortunately, he hadn’t bothered to register the trademark. An oversight his business team is trying to rectify.

“I’ve got nothing but respect for [Williams],” Gervin told the Sun-Times on Wednesday. “He’s already proved greatness and his potential upside is great. Like an ‘Iceman.’ But that name is taken. …

“All I’m saying is: Young fella, we’ve already got one ‘Iceman.’”…

…On March 20, four days after Williams’ application was filed, Gervin Interests LLC filed trademark applications for both “Iceman” and “Iceman 44,” referencing Gervin’s jersey number. Related goods and services include entertainment services and personal appearances by Gervin in addition to T-shirts, hats, shirts, wristbands, sweatshirts and other pieces of apparel. The application notes that Gervin’s “Iceman” nickname was first used by him in commerce in 1979.

Jerald Barisano, president/CEO of Gervin Global Management, said he wrongly believed Gervin’s nickname was already trademarked, owing the confusion to the death of a business associate.

Caleb Williams has every right to pursue the nickname.

Gervin was a 12-time All-Star in his playing days. He’s still considered one of the all-time greatest offensive players in basketball history, winning four scoring titles and averaging over 30 points in a season twice. His number is retired by the San Antonio Spurs. You can’t mention basketball history without his name coming up at some point. The only accomplishment that eluded him was winning a championship. So it’s not hard to see why he feels that “Iceman” nickname belongs to him.

The problem is it’s not up to him to decide. By not going to the patent office to secure it, Gervin left the door open for someone to claim it eventually. He made the mistake of assuming his reputation would always keep people away from it. Caleb Williams, who wasn’t even alive when Gervin retired, likely didn’t know who he was. All he knew was the nickname hadn’t been trademarked, and so he moved quickly to grab it. First-come, first-served, as they say.

Don’t expect a resolution anytime soon.

It will take months for the commission to review the situation. Until that time, you can expect Caleb Williams to continue using the nickname. It certainly won’t stop Bears fans from calling him that. They don’t care what Gervin has to say about it. After what the young quarterback accomplished last year, the nickname is set in stone. Williams is the real Iceman in their eyes. Even if Gervin wins the trademark, it won’t stop people from calling him that. This entire situation isn’t about money for the NBA legend. It’s about legacy. The 73-year-old cares deeply about his, which is fair.

For Williams, it’s a business opportunity. He spent a lot of time building himself up to this point, earning the title through hard work and lots of lumps on the football field. He can’t be criticized for wanting to take advantage. It is what smart business people do. Time will tell who makes the stronger case. Gervin has longevity on his side, while Williams has more notoriety in today’s media sphere. It should be a compelling case.