Much has been made of how the Chicago Bears have not added a notable edge rusher this offseason. Unless something changes the equation between now and Week 1, they won't be doing so.
Instead, as shared by head head coach Ben Johnson and acknowledged by defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, the Bears are leaning into coaching up the edge rushers they have to bolster a pass rush that needs to be better this season.
At the forefront of that is Austin Booker, who showed promise with 4.5 sacks in 10 games after returning from injury last season. But the idea definitely applies to others.
In regard to Booker and second-year man Shemar Turner, it's about continued development and taking the next step in their careers right now. Pressure is not really in play for either of them in 2026, at least not in the way we generally think of it.
But that is not the case for another incumbent edge rusher for the Bears.
Bears have naturally ratcheted up the pressure on one player above all others in 2026
The Bears notably efforted to bolster their defensive front during 2025 free agency, and both moves look bad one season in. Both guys need to be healthy and produce in Year 2 if they want to see a third season in Chicago.
While one of those guys has made it clear he wants to make things right this season, the other has a lot more pressure on him. In naming the Bears' player who is under the most pressure in 2026, Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network confirmed that thought.
"Dayo Odeyingbo signed a big-money contract with the Chicago Bears in the 2025 offseason, but he had just 10 pressures and one sack in eight games last year. He returns to the team coming off of an injury, and he needs to stay healthy and return to his 2023 form, in which he had 8.0 sacks. The Bears would save $15 million by releasing him next offseason, which feels like a foregone conclusion if he doesn’t bounce back."
Before the Achilles' tear that ended his 2025 season early, Odeyingbo had just one sack and four quarterback hits in eight games. Infante had to note a need to get back to his 2023 form, when he had eight sacks for the Indianapolis Colts, because he had just three sacks over 17 games for the Colts in 2024.
After that dud season in 2024, the Bears still gave him a three-year, $48 million contract with $32 million guaranteed.
Johnson has spoken positively about Odeyingbo, who appears to be on a good track in his recovery after being on the practice field during OTAs. While that's all well and good, it is to be taken with a grain of salt in the rampant optimism of June.
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With what they have not done to supplant him this offseason, the Bears have turned the pressure on Odeyingbo up to, in the parlance of a famous movie, "11." Whenever he is able to suit up this season, with Week 1 feeling unlikely given the nature of his injury, he needs to hit the ground running and show he was not a free agency mistake.
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