The Chicago Bears are on the precipice of 2025 NFL free agency and continue to have a glaring need for another starting edge rusher opposite Montez Sweat.
The Bears also made their depth issues at defensive end even worse in February when they released veteran starter DeMarcus Walker from their roster for salary-cap relief, leaving them with Austin Booker (2024 fifth-round pick), Dominique Robinson (2022 fifth-round pick) and Daniel Hardy (exclusive rights free agent) to accompany Sweat.
That’s a problem for a defense that plans to lead with its pass rush under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, one Windy City Gridiron’s Aaron Leming projects the Bears could solve in free agency next week with Indianapolis Colts starter Dayo Odeyingbo.
In his 2025 offseason mock for SB Nation’s Bears-focused site, Leming projected the Bears to sign Odeyingbo to a four-year $66 million contract with $39.5 million in guaranteed money and an estimated cost of about $9 million for the 2025 season.
“Odeyingbo had a career-high eight sacks in 2023 but dropped to three in 2024 despite having a higher pressure rate and a career-high seven stops at or behind the line of scrimmage,” Leming wrote.
“Overall, this isn’t the type of player who will be a perennial 10-sack-per-year player, but he’s big, well-rounded, and an ideal scheme fit under Allen. Coupled with a high-round draft pick, they could quickly remake their edge rushing depth.”
Dayo Odeyingbo Would Offer Starter With High Upside
While the edge-rusher market has been buzzing about the higher-end starters available such as Philadelphia Eagles star Josh Sweat, Odeyingbo could prove a wise investment.
Odeyingbo could have been a first-round draft pick had he not torn his Achilles while preparing for the 2021 NFL draft, but the Colts gladly jumped at the opportunity to take him at No. 54 overall despite using their first selection on edge rusher Kwity Paye.
The results did not materialize immediately as Odeyingbo played just 10 games as a rookie and recorded just six tackles; however, he has played in every game since then for the Colts and racked up 16 total sacks despite only just becoming a starter in 2024.
The question with Odeyingbo is production. He delivered a career-high eight sacks as a rotational player for the Colts in 2023, but his sacks total dropped to just three in 2024 after becoming a full-time starter and played him on a career-most 745 defensive snaps.
That said, Pro Football Focus gave him a favorable pass-rushing grade in true pass sets (74.7) during the 2024 season, suggesting he could have high upside if he lands with a new team — and new defensive scheme — that is better suited for his skill set.
Could Bears Swing Bigger to Find New Starting Edge?
Odeyingbo could make sense for the Bears at Leming’s suggested price tag, especially if they pair him with a high-end draft pick at the position to transform their frontlines.
Could the Bears instead take a bigger swing at the position in free agency, though?
The Bears will have options to aim higher than Odeyingbo. Sweat — who notched eight regular-season sacks in 2024 and tallied 2.5 sacks in the Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs — is one of the top talents available, but Las Vegas Raiders starter Malcolm Koonce is also building-block material for teams seeking a starter.
Koonce missed the 2024 season with a knee injury, but he tallied eight sacks in 2023 and put himself on an upward trajectory that could continue now that he is healthy.
The Bears could also fish around on the NFL trade market.
Myles Garrett is the biggest name on the market, but Trey Hendrickson also had his trade request granted on Thursday and might fit better with the Bears given they would not need to part with as much draft capital to acquire him in a deal. A trade for either Garrett or Hendrickson would likely also mean handing out a lucrative new contract, but the Bears have the cap space to do it — if they feel another edge is the top priority.
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