Ryan Poles still has a massive opportunity to fix arguably this team's biggest question mark before the season.
The Chicago Bears are still an edge rusher short of feeling comfortable in that room, and fortunately, some recent news gave Poles a golden opportunity.
After the Carolina Panthers chose to release Jadeveon Clowney just last week, it was clear they were ready to move in a different direction. Meanwhile, the Bears are in a different boat. They could start competing, for real, as early as this season.
Clowney makes all the sense in the world for Chicago.
Jadeveon Clowney sounds like the perfect Bears addition, and he's ready
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer included some Clowney fodder in his latest column and for anybody who thinks the former no. 1 overall pick might be done, think again.
“I’m definitely gonna play well—you can mark my word on that. I don’t care where I end up playing at, I’m gonna play extremely well," he told The Athletic, via Breer.
For Bears fans wanting another edge rusher, Clowney basically just gave Poles every reason to pick up the phone -- now.
"I think I played well for Carolina, considering the circumstances that unfolded for me. I played with a bunch of guys that was hurt this past year. And I ended up playing extremely well for them. So it is what it is.
"I can play the game. I can play football. There are 31 other teams. I just hope another team gives me that opportunity so I can prove myself again. I feel like I can do that.”
Playing just over 60 percent of snaps in Carolina last year, Clowney posted 5.5 sacks and 22 quarterback pressures. This came a year after he put up a career-best 9.5 sacks with the Baltimore Ravens.
The later his career has gone on, the more he's proven he can step into a rotational role and excel. For a Bears defense trotting out Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, Clowney is the absolute perfect third pass rusher to give those two a break at times.
If the Bears were to sign Clowney, their roster would look about as complete as it possibly could at this point in the offseason.