Despite a slow start to the 2025 NFL season, the Chicago Bears find themselves right in the thick of the NFC North race. With the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions both trending in the wrong direction, the window was seemingly opening for Ben Johnson's squad.
With the trade deadline looming on Tuesday, the Bears had a chance to swing big and shore up the roster for a playoff run. While not much had materialized on that front yet, things became a bit more dire on Monday.
Just as fans feared, it was announced that prized free agent acquisition Dayo Odeyingbo, who signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the team this offseason, would miss the remainder of the campaign with a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bears must trade for EDGE help at deadline after Dayo Odeyingbo injury
While Odeyingbo hadn't exactly lived up to his hefty price tag, his being injured feels even more like money down the drain for Chicago. This may finally spur an Austin Booker breakout that Bears fans have clamored for, but it may also entice Ryan Poles to scour the trade market.
Things have been relatively quiet, league-wide, but it seems like the first big domino in the edge rusher market fell on Monday, when the Philadelphia Eagles traded with the Miami Dolphins for Jaelan Phillips.
With that deal now in mind as a benchmark, other pass-rush-needy teams can start making legitimate offers with less than 24 hours until the deadline. Fortunately for the Bears, there is no shortage of options potentially available.
The Bengals' Trey Hendrickson is obviously the crown jewel, but that would be too rich for Chicago's blood. Veterans like Matthew Judon and Bradley Chubb are both enticing, and younger players like Jermaine Johnson II and Malcolm Koonce could be intriguing as well.
Ideally, Booker breaks out alongside Montez Sweat, and all is right in the Windy City. But that might seem like a careless gamble to make for Poles, who cannot afford to misstep with the Bears currently pushing for divisional supremacy.
Read more: Dayo Oedyingbo injury just green-lit a Bears breakout every fan has begged for
Chicago has a pick in every round of next year's draft, so they have plenty of ammunition and flexibility on just how aggressive they want to be. Odeyingbo's injury certainly changed the equation for Poles and the Bears at the last second, and it may lead to a big swing.