The consensus among Chicago Bears fans is that there are major concerns about the defensive line and how they will fare in 2026.
Many fans believe that Bears general manager Ryan Poles didn't do nearly enough to improve the position group. Poles did add multiple depth defensive tackles on the team, but didn't sign, trade, or draft any edge rushers during the offseason, the one position fans wanted them to address.
Apparently, all that noise has been heard from the Bears, and they have been tracking it. Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter made it clear to the media that they are aware of the complaints.
“We hear it," Dexter said via CHGO. "But I feel we got the guys.”
Gervon Dexter is picking up what Bears fans are laying down with defensive line concerns
It's easy to understand why there are so many concerns about the Bears' defensive line after what happened last season. The Bears recorded only 33 sacks in 17 regular-season games; only six teams had fewer. Chicago was also 27th in the NFL in rush defense, allowing 134.5 yards per game.
The questions around the defensive line are legitimate, as the unit has not played well over the years. This franchise spent nearly $90 million on Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo last offseason to get little production from the two, as Jarrett underwhelmed on the field and Odeyingbo got one sack in eight games before suffering a season-ending injury.
Dexter and Montez Sweat were the only bright spots on the team as they combined for 16 of the 33 sacks from last year. Austin Booker shows good potential, and the Bears are high on him, but he missed the first half of the season with an injury and was able to turn in 4.5 sacks to end the year.
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Chicago's starting defensive line has not changed at all, leaving a lot to be desired. If this position group doesn't get rolling right from Week 1, Poles will get slammed by the media, and some kind of change will have to occur.
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