The Chicago Bears stayed busy this offseason with new player signings and a new head coach, but could one of those signings end up costing them big on and off the field?
Bleacher Report writer Kristopher Knox shared his prediction of one player on each NFL team that will end up being the biggest bust in 2025. For the Bears, Knox picked their new edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo.
"Edge-defender Dayo Odeyingbo was a good rotational player for three seasons with the Colts before emerging as a starter last year. However, expectations for him are set to jump after he signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Chicago Bears.
Unfortunately, Odeyingbo will have a difficult time living up to those higher expectations. Though a starting-caliber end, he's unlikely to provide a massive boost to Chicago's sack production. The 25-year-old had just three sacks, seven tackles for loss and 19 QB pressures in 17 games last season."
What a disaster the Bears could face if Odeyingbo ends up being a waste of money
Odeyingbo spent the last four years with the Indianapolis Colts, where he transitioned from backup for the first three years to a full-time starter in 2024. His first year as a weekly starter did not go as well as some might have hoped, with only three sacks; however, he did record 17 quarterback hits, which matched his career high.
Chicago was desperate for a pass rusher to help Montez Sweat after leading the Bears last year with just 5.5 sacks. Seven Bears on the roster recorded at least three sacks on the season, but none of them stood out from the other.
Sweat is still the best pass rusher in Chicago, but the hope is that Odeyingbo can come in and take some of the pressure off of him with double teams. Odeyingbo has shown the potential to be that great second pass rusher after eight sacks in 2023. That's the guy Chicago needs in 2025.
A glaring issue with the Bears entering 2025 is depth on the defensive line and at linebacker. There are way too many uncertainties, and the team needs newcomers like Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett to be the stars the team hopes they will become.
Read more: ESPN writer's interesting take on Bears not quite being offseason champions
If Odeyingbo truly becomes a bust in 2025, there will be a lot of fingers pointed towards general manager Ryan Poles, as he will have to answer for the mistake.