The Chicago Bears' offense improved dramatically in 2025, finding both consistency and explosiveness in its first season under Ben Johnson's leadership.
The defense was a different story. While Dennis Allen's unit forced turnovers at an impressive rate, the numbers from down to down were less encouraging. This offseason, general manager Ryan Poles will likely look to address a few defensive positions to transform this team from an exciting story into a true contender.
The Bears will need to add to their pass rush this offseason. They only produced 35 sacks in 2025, ranking in the bottom half of the league. But instead of spending big money in free agency or an early draft pick on addressing the position, they could take a chance on former University of Florida star Dante Fowler Jr. at a low cost.
Dante Fowler Jr. is the Bears' perfect solution to their pass rush problem
Over a decade ago, Fowler was a top-five draft pick. His unique blend of explosiveness and bend made him an exciting edge rusher coming out of Florida. His NFL career hasn't quite lived up to the hype, though.
In 10 seasons, the edge defender has had only three seasons with double-digit sacks. He has bounced around from team to team, never fully gaining a foothold on a roster. At 31 years old, he's more of a mercenary than he is a franchise building block.
But that could be exactly what the Bears need. Fowler could bring the pass-rushing juice that this team was missing on late downs last season. While the sack production wasn't there for him in 2025, the veteran's pass rush win rate of 14.3% shows that he can still get after opposing quarterbacks.
He has even improved as a run defender throughout his career. The Bears wouldn't necessarily need him to play on early downs, but he could fill the role if he needed to.
The Bears have been linked to big names like Maxx Crosby this offseason, but they may not be ready to spend the money and draft capital it would take to get a player of that caliber. Instead, they could take a low-cost chance on a player like Fowler in an attempt to improve their pass rush.
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Spotrac currently estimates that Fowler's next deal will earn him around $5.1 million per season. There's no reason for the Bears not to take a chance on that kind of contract.