As if there were ever any doubt, the Philadelphia Eagles showed the impact of a constant barrage of pressure can have on a quarterback, even in the biggest games, while offering a Super Bowl blueprint franchises like the Chicago Bears can follow.
General manager Ryan Poles seems to have studied the blueprint extensively during a flurry of free agent signings and trades this offseason, including bolstering the front seven by signing veteran defensive lineman Grady Jarrett, trading for veteran offensive linemen Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and signing center Drew Dalman.
Pressuring the quarterback and keeping your own quarterback upright, two areas that the Bears have struggled with in recent years have seemed to be the Bears’ top organizational priority leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft.
One of the Bears’ free-agent signings may have an outsized impact in 2025, and beyond.
Chicago Bears’ Dayo Odeyingbo signing among most impactful across the NFL
Pro Football Focus NFL analyst Ben Cooper put together a list of each team’s free agent signing with the most upside, including Odeyingbo’s three-year deal worth $48 million with the Bears.
“The 25-year-old Odeyingbo was labeled as one of the most promising edge defenders in this free-agent class,” Cooper writes for PFF. “Having steadily improved his pressure-generating skill set on larger workloads over his Colts career.
“PFF had him pegged to earn $17.5 million per year on his new deal, but the Bears secured him for $16 million. Odeyingbo will join Montez Sweat on a defensive line that now also includes Grady Jarrett, meaning pressure is liable to come from all spots.”
Even before the Bears have the benefit of perhaps adding one of the premier edge rushers in this year’s draft class, Poles and the Bears have built out what has the potential to be a disruptive front-seven for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, with Odeyingbo figuring to play a major role.
Last season, Odeyingbo finished with 31 total tackles and three sacks, but has already posted 16.5 sacks through his first four seasons. But, Pro Football Focus points out that Odeyingbo also added 13 quarterback hits, the eighth most among edge rushers across the league.
A new-look front-seven of Sweat, Jarrett, and Odeyingbo could wreak havoc on quarterbacks and develop into the backbone of Allen’s defense.
Chicago Bears Super Bowl addition named smartest offseason move
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