7 Defensive linemen who could join the Chicago Bears in 2023

Defensive line free agent targets for the Chicago Bears

With over $100 million to spend in free agency, there are numerous players who the Bears could look to sign across the defensive line. While these aren’t necessarily the best players on the list, and even more could become available in the offseason, these players are generally young, have had success already in their NFL careers, and have the traits to be dominant members up front for a new Bears defense.

Daron Payne

Daron Payne might be the number one defensive lineman the Chicago Bears should pursue, and it’s probably not even close. At only 25 years old, the Alabama product stands at 6’3″ and 320 lbs. Currently, in his fifth season, Payne has only missed one game for Washington and has been a consistent problem for opposing offensive lines throughout his career.

At this point, Payne has 21 total career sacks, which might seem a little low. However, it is important to understand that as a traditional 3-technique, his main goal schematically is to stop the run or force a double team on the front line in order to get other players one on one opportunities.

With over 250 total career tackles, Payne would instantly become one of the most important and impactful players on the Bears roster, let alone the defense, and would immediately become a leader for the Bears organization.

Marcus Davenport

Similar to Payne, Marcus Davenport has recorded 21.5 sacks through the better part of five seasons and is a relatively consistent threat on the edge of the New Orlean Saints’ defensive line. At 6’6″ and 265 lbs, Davenport is a former first-round pick from the University of Texas-San Antonio.

Coming out of college, Davenport was a little under the radar as a pass rusher, but the Saints traded two first-round picks in 2018 in order to move up to 14 overall and select the defensive end. Davenport may be a little underrated still because of his draft position and how much the Saints gave up to get him, but at the end of the day, he is a freaky athletic edge rusher who could start for many teams.

Davenport has some injury history, as he’s missed at least three games in each of his first four seasons. Plus, he hasn’t had the most successful season this year with only 0.5 sacks. But with nine sacks in 2021, it is undeniable that he has the intangibles to become an aggressive pass rusher for the Bears next season.

Javon Hargrave

A seven-year veteran, Javon Hargrave has played his entire career in Pennsylvania — playing for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and most recently the Philadelphia Eagles. Hargrave has practically been the definition of consistent, missing only two games so far in his long NFL career. At 6’2″ and 305 lbs, Hargrave is another classic 3-technique defensive tackle who could either dominate in one on ones or force opposing defensive linemen to double-team him.

As a former third-round pick, Hargrave has exceeded most expectations — accumulating 33.5 sacks through seven seasons with seven or more sacks in each of the past two seasons.

With the success of the Philadelphia Eagles, Hargrave may be forced to walk in free agency as the Eagles have to prepare to pay numerous players big money, mainly quarterback Jalen Hurts. Similar to Payne, Hargrave’s long, successful NFL career would make him not only one of the most accomplished and successful members of the Bears’ defense, but he would walk into this team as an instant starter and leader for this defense.