When a new head coach is hired, it also means a change schematically. That means they need new players that fit them in free agency and the draft.
The Chicago Bears made a strong impression by trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, who played for new head coach Ben Johnson in Detroit, while signing center Drew Dalman, defensive linemen Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett all in the first day of free agency.
Johnson will handle the offensive side, while the defense will be led by former Raiders and Saints head coach Dennis Allen. Odeyingbo seems to fit the kind of player Allen wants because of his arm length (35.5 inches) and size (6'6", 286). He is still only 25 years old right now, so they are hoping Allen can unlock his potential.
Still, the work is far from over. The Bears still could use another edge rusher opposite of Montez Sweat. They need a guy who can record double-digit sacks on the opposite side for quite some time. Fortunately, this year's draft has some guys who are able to do it and do fit the intangibles Allen is looking for. Here are the Top 5 edge rushers who could be drafted by the Bears next month.
6. J.T. Tuimoloau-Ohio State
Tuimoloau was a former No.1 recruit out of the state of Washington, who also excelled as a basketball player. He committed to Ohio State and was a four-year starter. He has plenty of big-game experience with Ohio State, which includes a national championship this past season. He and fellow teammate Jack Sawyer formed a formidable duo on the edge and created a lot of havoc in the backfield.
Tuimoloau has a good frame(6'5" 269) and arm length(33 3/4) and has steadily increased his sack totals every year, with 12.5 sacks in 2024. A lot of the scout reports have listed his average bend, lack of first step to beat tackles, and also need to work on his technique. He is probably available with one of the 2nd round picks for the Bears(39th or 41st) and might be a decent starter in the future.
5. Landon Jackson-Arkansas
Jackson began his career at LSU in 2021 before transferring to Arkansas. He got a nice size(6'6", 264), gained more than 40 pounds to his frame, and became a very productive player. He went to the NFL Scouting Combine and dominated his workout, raising his draft stock to go in the late first round to mid-second round.
His frame is ideal for an edge rusher, providing both power and leverage. He is a good run defender, who takes on blockers well, which should the Bears as they look to improve their run defense in 2025. As a pass rusher, he has a high-motor and uses his hands well. But he lacks quick-twitch, and his hips are a little stiff, which makes it difficult to dip and win as a pass rusher. He also needs to work on his pad level as it tends to rise when rushing the passer.
4. Mike Green-Marshall
Green transferred from Virginia to Marshall back in 2023 and broke out in a big way last season when he led the nation in sacks(17) and was a first-team All-American after recording just 4.5 sacks the previous season.
Green does not possess the size that Allen would normally look for in his defensive end(6'3", 251). But Allen has experience working with a smaller edge rusher as the defensive coordinator with Denver(2011) when they drafted Von Miller and as head coach of the Oakland Raiders(2012-2014) when they drafted Khalil Mack.
Despite lacking the ideal size, Green is an explosive rusher, who plays with a high level of violence and physicality. He penetrates the gap quickly and gets around the edge to cause problems in the backfield.
The biggest question hovering over Green right now is how he left Virginia. During the NFL Draft Combine, he denied accusations of two sexual assaults, including one at Virginia that he was dismissed from the team in September 2022. He has serious questions he must answer to teams, including the Bears, about his past, or he could fall out of the first-round pick.
3. James Pearce Jr.-Tennessee
Speed is Pearce's strength as he dominated the NFL Draft Combine when he ran a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash, with a 10-yard1.56 in the 10-yard split. He has explosive first steps which allows him to get around offensive tackles and close into the quarterbacks. He is not a good run defender because he does not take on tackles well. He possesses good length and a frame, so it will be interesting to see if he can add bulk up and get strong while also improving his technique in that area.
Like Green, some teams are raising concerns over his character and his draft stock has dropped to a point where some mock drafts no longer have him in the first round. He was arrested in December 2023 during a traffic stop in Knoxville though those charges were later dropped. Since then, he has never been in trouble with the law. The Bears front office will have a serious investigation to do if they are interested in Pearce.
2. Mykel Williams-Georgia
Mykel Williams deserves credit for playing the entire season with a high ankle sprain he suffered in the season opener against Clemson and the rest of the season less than 100% of last season.
His size(6'5", 265) and arm length(34 3/8) will surely catch Allen's attention. One scouting report says he has flashed a solid long-arm move and has the motor to collapse the pocket as well as his length makes him a massive problem as he can grab the quarterback or swipe at the ball while still engaged with blockers.
However, his get-off is subpar and not explosive out of the line. That explains why he ran 4.73 in the 40-yard dash at his Georgia pro day workout after skipping the NFL Draft Combine last month to continue recovering from his ankle injury. He must work on his hand placements to compensate for the lack of elite speed.
1. Nic Scourton-Texas A&M
Scourton began his career at Purdue, where he had 10 sacks in 2023 and looked like a legit top-10 prospect. Then he transferred to Texas A&M, where his production fell off last season as he played at a 280-285 pound range and had only 5 sacks. He showed up at 257 pounds in the NFL draft combine
Scourton has a devastating spin move and has shown excellent hand placement skills to beat the tackles. Despite the drop in production last season, he is a proven performer at both Big Ten and SEC. But like some edge rushers, his hips are stiff, which makes it difficult for him to get around the corner against more technically sound tackles, he needs to work on his pass-rushing techniques as well as improve his endurance as his pad level tends to rise as he gets tired.
Still, he is a proto-type 4-3 edge rusher that Allen and his defensive line coaches would love to work to unlock his potential. He is a late first-round talent, who could be available in the second round when the Bears pick either 39th or 41st.