By most any metric outside of takeaways, the Chicago Bears' defense has left a lot to be desired most of the time this season. General manager Ryan Poles has some work to do make things better on that side of the ball.
Name any pass-rushing metric, and the Bears finished the regular season in the bottom half of the league in it. Montez Sweat accounted for 10 of their 35 sacks, and no one else had more than six. Among edge rushers, however, impacted by Dayo Odeyingbo missing nine games after suffering a torn Achilles, Austin Booker was next with 4.5 sacks despite missing seven games.
Via free agency, a trade, or the draft, or some combination of those things, the Bears need to add some juice to their pass rush this offseason. Visions of a significant acquisition easily dance in Bears' fans' heads right now, but honing in on some options that land as more realistic is appropriate, too.
Bears tied to underrated player who would aid pass rush
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report put together a list of the top 50 2026 NFL free agents heading into Wild Card Weekend. For the top-10, he offered a contract projection and two potential suitors.
Knox matched the Bears with the No. 5 player on his list.
"John Franklin-Myers might not be the biggest name among defenders headed to market. However, the 29-year-old is a disruptive difference-maker who has been productive at every stop and in multiple roles."
"A 2018 fourth-round pick out of Stephen F. Austin, Franklin-Myers has spent time at both defensive tackle and defensive end, and he's shown an ability to rush the passer from either spot. While not a true edge-rusher, Franklin-Myers is a capable pressure man who has thrived in the Denver Broncos' defense over the past two seasons."
"Over the last two years, Franklin-Myers has compiled 14.5 sacks, 44 quarterback pressures, and 14 tackles for loss. That's impressive production, especially considering he's played alongside sack artists like Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, and Jonathon Cooper."
"Expect Franklin-Myers to get a substantial raise with a new team in 2026."
Franklin has inside-outside versatility, as Knox noted, to the point that Pro Football Focus graded him out as an interior defensive lineman this year. While his PFF grades aren't as robust this year, he posted a top-20 overall grade at his position in three of four seasons from 2021-2024. This season, his pass rush win rate (12.7 percent) was tied for 19th-best among interior defensive linemen (minimum 110 pass rush snaps).
Knox projected a three-year, $44 million contract for Myers, which is a notable difference from Spotrac's projected $7.5 million per year market value for him. Split the difference, and you'd land at $10-11million per year on a likely two or three-year deal. That may be a little too rich for the Denver Broncos to be able to keep him, and it's fair to assume he'll have multiple suitors on the open market.
Read more: Caleb Williams basically revealed Rome Odunze's status for Wild Card Round
The Bears should leave few (if any) stones unturned in a search for reinforcements to their defensive front this offseason. Franklin-Myers should be among those who are firmly in their wheelhouse when free agency gets rolling.