It has now become a very common complaint among Chicago Bears fans regarding the lack of top talent on the defensive line.
The Bears are carried by Montez Sweat and Gervon Dexter, with the rest of the line leaving a lot to be desired. Bleacher Report writer Alex Kay might have a cut candidate that should be on the Bears' radar, as Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead could be on his way out of there.
"Armstead already showed signs of regression toward the end of last season, when he failed to notch a single sack after Week 12. He lost his starting job in Week 14 and played more than 50 percent of the defensive snaps just once after, a stark downturn after he was on the field for over half the team's defensive plays in all 11 starts.
If Armstead is cut, he'll still draw plenty of calls for his ability to be a reliable veteran presence in a defensive-line rotation. Contenders can't have enough quality D-linemen to cycle in over the course of an NFL game. Getting one of Armstead's caliber on a budget deal would be far too alluring to pass over."
Bears should monitor if Arik Armstead becomes available or not
Armstead spent the first nine years of his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Jaguars over the last two. He has racked up 103 quarterback hits and 41 sacks, having posted a 10-sack season before back in 2019.
The Bears did add a lot of defensive tackles to build depth, but that did not address the lack of a pass rush they had last year. This unit had just 33 sacks in the regular season, with Sweat and Dexter having 16 between the two.
Chicago may not get the same type of player Armstead was five years ago, but he can still help in a big way. He played more defensive tackle last season for Jacksonville, leaving the door open for Bears defensive tackle Dennis Allen to move Armstead around on the line.
More help could be needed on the edge as Sweat has had to carry the position himself. Austin Booker has the potential to be great, but is in Year 3 and had injury issues last year. Speaking of injury issues, Dayo Odeyingbo did not excite Bears fans in his first season with one sack in eight games before missing the rest of the year.
Armstead could be the second edge rusher on the opposite side of Sweat to help with the pass rush. The Bears won't get 10 sacks out of Armstead, but they will get a guy who can pressure the quarterback on a more consistent basis.
Read more: Latest 2026 Bears projected 53-man roster after OTAs concluded
At this point, it could be seen as grasping at straws to find a proper pass rusher to help the Bears, who desperately need it. If Armstead gets cut from the Jaguars, the Bears should heavily consider bringing him in.
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