4 Defensive ends the Chicago Bears could trade for to fix their pass rush in 2023
The Chicago Bears could trade for Dayo Odeyingbo
Honestly, all of these trade options are not likely to happen. People thought the same thing when Ryan Pace traded for Khalil Mack though. The issue here is that Ryan Poles is not Pace and he's not going to throw two first-round picks to a team for a defensive end. He just isn't. Therefore, it really isn't an issue at all. If I had to guess, he's not going to give up anything more than a third-rounder and that means these guys I have listed are the likeliest options outside of guys you never heard of.
Speaking of guys you probably have never heard of, if I was Ryan Poles, I'd be on the phone with the Indianapolis Colts to see if they would be willing to move on from Dayo Odeyingbo. The Colts took Anthony Richardson in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Richardson has great upside, but comes with some risks as he isn't thought to be ready to start in 2023. Instead, Gardner Minshew is likely to start the season for the Colts. This looks like a team building for 2024 and beyond instead of looking to win now.
Dayo Odeyingbo might be in the Colts' plans for the future, but he might not. They took him in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft when Matt Eberflus was still the defensive coordinator. He fits the HITS principles very well and despite struggling to see playing time in 2021, he saw over 46% of the defensive snaps in 2022 (mindful that Eberflus was gone) and finished with five sacks.
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He has the height and the build that Poles and company like in their defensive ends. He has violent hands despite not being the quickest off the ball. He is not 24 years old yet and has two years left on his rookie deal. The Colts signed Samson Ebukam to a three-year deal worth north of $24 million. This is going to push Odeyingbo out of the starting lineup. The team also drafted Chicago fan favorite Adetomiwa Adebawore -- a player who can play both inside and outside. I'd be interested in seeing if the Colts would move on from Odeyingbo for a mid-round pick.