The Chicago Bears need to address both sides of the line along with bringing in a new head coach this offseason. With three picks in the first two rounds of the draft and some solid cap space to operate with, all of their essential needs can be taken care of this winter without much hassle if they handle it correctly.
PFF has the Chicago Bears landing Josh Sweat as a pass rusher
Bradley Locker from PFF wrote an in-depth analysis of one free agent that every NFL team needs to pursue this offseason. For the Bears, he brought an emphasis to their need to address the pass rushing group on the defensive line by bringing in Josh Sweat from the Eagles.
“After sorting out their coaching staff, the Bears need to address the trenches on both sides of the ball,” Locker writes. “Edge rusher should be a key focus, given that Chicago ranked 27th in PFF overall grade and 16th in PFF pass-rush grade at the position in 2024.”
There is no secret that the defensive line has struggled to get to the quarterback over the past couple of seasons. Despite trading for Montez Sweat last year, the unit hasn’t found a way to consistently get things going. The Bears’ cap space will be a huge aid in their efforts to land the other Sweat if that is the route they go down in March.
“For the second straight year, the Bears have a surplus of spending value — $80 million, to be exact — so why not chase a big fish like Sweat? The current Eagle has been terrific over the past four years, ranking 24th in PFF pass-rushing grade (80.7) and 22nd in wins above replacement. Sweat would pair with Montez Sweat (49 pressures, 14.7% pass-rush win rate) for a top-tier duo (with the same last name as a fun wrinkle).”
Chicago has been in the market to bring in a consistent edge rusher with the Sweat they have on the roster right now to free him up for more one-on-one situations. Bringing in his Sweat counterpart would create a fantastic opportunity for just that.
Sweat would help another Sweat on the Bears
Signing Sweat would allow the Bears to cross off a need on their checklist without completely breaking the bank of available cap space they have to operate with this offseason. Along with their three premier draft selections, they can use what’s left of the cap after the Sweat signing to fill in some holes from a depth standpoint and really attack the offensive line hard to give better protection for Caleb Williams in his second season.
Chicago Bears could pivot to another free agent
Another offseason prediction had the Bears inking Chase Young to a short-term deal to add to the pass-rushing efforts. Young and his fellow free agent in Sweat would each bring much-needed pressure on the outside that the organization has been lacking. It comes down to the price point between those two and what the Bears front office is willing to give on the open market.
If Chicago abandons the concept of signing a free agent pass rusher altogether, they could look to trade up in the draft for a big-time talent like Abdul Carter. Either way, there will be another pass rusher added to the Bears roster this offseason, it will just depend on how they do it.
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