The Chicago Bears just lost one of their defensive linemen, Marcus Davenport, which gives the team another reason to make sure James Lynch stays active in games moving forward.
It was originally reported that Davenport asked the Bears to release him after just one game. Later, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Davenport will retire from the NFL. In Davenport's only appearance with the Bears, he had one tackle in the 23-12 win over the New York Jets in Week 4.
With Davenport out of the picture, the Bears should have a game-day defensive line spot open. The Bears have a solid defensive lineman in Lynch who should be able to help and play moving forward.
James Lynch should be active for all Bears games moving forward
The Bears made an odd decision not to have Lynch active for the Week 4 Jets game, his first game of the season he hasn't played in this season. No injury was reported for Lynch, so everyone was questioning the decision, but it felt more like Chicago wanted Davenport in there instead of Lynch.
It's been a good season for Lynch so far, starting in two of the three games he's played. He has racked up 11 tackles and five stops.
Pro Football Focus graded Lynch at a 58.7 overall, ranking 70th out of 108 eligible interior defensive linemen. He also has a pass-rush grade of 51.8 (ranked 99th) and a run-defense grade of 61.2 (ranked 58th).
Lynch has been a big factor as a new addition to the team in 2026 in terms of run defense. The Bears' defense struggled with it last season but is now ranked 13th against the run, allowing 102.5 yards per game.
Chicago's defensive line has been better this season than many expected after the team made smaller moves to build depth. Lynch was one of them who is actually working out well for them and is exceeding expectations. Training camp made that clear: he was going to make an impact on this team.
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The Bears may have to play Lynch again, which is a good thing because he's been a solid contributor. It's a shame Chicago won't be able to see Davenport play, as he showed some good signs, but Lynch at least gives them the stability this defensive line needs right now.
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