The Chicago Bears spent big money on the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period, agreeing to terms on long-term contracts with three veteran free agents to bolster their roster under new head coach Ben Johnson for the 2025 season.
At least one of the Bears’ own free agents, however, has bolted for greener pastures.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Houston Texans are signing former Bears defensive end Darrell Taylor to a one-year, $5.25 million contract for the 2025 season, locking down the 27-year-old as a rotational/depth piece for their frontlines.
The Bears had traded a 2025 sixth-round pick to land Taylor from the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the 53-man roster cutdown last summer, seeking an upgrade for the defensive end spot opposite Montez Sweat to rotate with DeMarcus Walker and Austin Booker.
While Taylor notched two sacks and eight total tackles in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans, though, his production dropped off a cliff following Week 1’s win. He finished with just 32 tackles, three sacks and 31 total pressures in 16 games of action — a sign that the Bears needed to pursue more substantial upgrades for the 2025 season.
Taylor is the first of the Bears’ 2025 free agents to agree to a new deal elsewhere.
Bears Replacing Darrell Taylor With Dayo Odeyingbo
Darrell Taylor will now depart Chicago, but the Bears did not even wait until he agreed to terms on his deal with the Texans to sign his replacement to a long-term contract.
According to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, the Bears found a new No. 2 pass rusher to play opposite Sweat on Monday when they agreed to terms on a three-year, $48 million deal with former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. His deal includes $32 million in guaranteed money, marking a significant investment for Chicago’s trenches.
Odeyingbo struggled with sack production in his final season with the Colts in 2024, but he tallied a career-high eight sacks as a rotational piece for Indianapolis in 2023. At the same time, Odeyingbo’s career production is relatively modest with just 16.5 sacks and 42 quarterback pressures over 61 games, many of which he played as a backup.
The Bears, however, must feel Odeyingbo is worth the risk given his untapped potential and his excellent size. He is 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds and has 35 1/4-inch arms, making him an ideal fit for the aggressive scheme that Dennis Allen plans to run in Chicago.
Will Bears Target Another Pass Rusher in NFL Draft?
The Bears now have two veteran starters at defensive end for Allen’s redesigned defense in 2025, but that does not mean Chicago will neglect the position in the upcoming draft.
While the $48 million investment in Odeyingbo reduces the need for the Bears to target a pass rusher with the No. 10 overall pick, Chicago could still look to bolster its trenches in the first round, especially if it moves back further into the round for additional picks. Penn State’s Abdul Carter is highly unlikely to reach them at No. 10, but they could have their pick of James Pearce Jr., Mykel Williams or Mike Green if they want to cash in.
More likely, though, is the Bears waiting until early in the second round to target an edge rusher for their rotation. Guys like Landon Jackson, Princley Umanmielen, J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer are likely to be available at No. 39 overall and each have skill sets that could appeal to the Bears as they look to bolster their rotation.
The Bears still have Booker — their oft-forgotten pass rusher — returning in 2025. They traded back into the fifth round of the 2024 draft to land him, understanding that his development would likely be something of a project for their defensive staff. Even still, the Bears may prefer to add another pick to push him and round out their rotation.
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