Andrew Buller-Russ
There’s no denying that the Chicago Bears took massive strides last season as first-year head coach Ben Johnson took control of the reins. The Bears learned a lot about themselves, discovering strengths and weaknesses along the way.
Typically, offseasons are used to address those weaknesses through free agency, trades, or the NFL Draft. Aside from the significant upheaval of trimming them down from 90 to 53 players, rosters are largely set. Analysts are starting to get a better picture of which teams look like early pretenders and contenders, while taking a closer look at which teams truly addressed their needs this offseason.
Recently, ESPN’s Bears insider Courtney Cronin roasted the team she covers, suggesting the team is making a “gamble” at the pass-rusher position after they essentially failed to address what was described as the “weakest link.”
“The Bears went from acknowledging that their pass rush needed improvement to saying they will rely on better coaching to fix their issues up front. In 2025, defensive end Montez Sweat led the Bears with 44 pressures while the next closest player was defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. with 17. Will coaching truly be enough to fix this team’s weakest link? Coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles repeatedly talked about creating competition at every spot but fell short of doing that along the defensive line, particularly at defensive end. The Bears didn’t sign or trade for an edge rusher nor did they draft one, so relying on the likes of Dayo Odeyingbo, Austin Booker and Shemar Turner to claim the spot opposite Sweat is a gamble.”
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin on Bears pass-rush
But is she wrong? The Bears are banking on improvement from within, which is another way of putting the blame on the coaches and increasing pressure on the new members of Chicago’s staff.
Of course, even though the Bears whiffed in free agency and the draft, there’s still time to address this position. Players can still be traded. Yet, there are still a host of solid free agent pass-rushers too, including the likes of Joey Bosa, Von Miller, Jadeveon Clowney, and more. In other words, Chicago could still make a relatively impactful signing.
Related: 7 NFL Players Who Could Get Traded in June
