As the NFL trade deadline passed, it was a quiet one for the Chicago Bears. Coming off a wild 47-42 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, many Bears fans were hoping for major trades involving pass rushers Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson, who were reportedly available.
While the other teams made splash trades that grabbed the headlines, general manager Ryan Poles just made one move by sending their 2026 6th-round pick for edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and a 2026 7th-round pick from the Cleveland Browns, disappointing many fans
The deal was made after edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo suffered a season-ending Achilles tear against the Cincinnati Bengals. He has been a disappointment this season with only one sack and 21 tackles through eight games after joining as a free agent in March.
Tryon-Shoyinka, a former first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021, stands at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, with a 34-inch arm length. Like Odeyingbo, he fits Dennis Allen's physical profile for defensive ends. He signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns after registering 15 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and 36 quarterback hits in four years with the Buccaneers.
Allen deserves sympathy for not having enough healthy bodies, especially with both cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson out for pretty much the entire season. Allen’s scheme has shown flashes, especially in takeaways. However, the late-game breakdowns, such as the ones we saw against Minnesota and Cincinnati, have become a disturbing pattern due to the lack of pressure.
Poles just put a ton of weight on Allen to perform
Allen will be tested to find ways to utilize different talents while not forcing them into his scheme. That means he cannot give Tryon-Shoyinka more snaps over Booker, because he fits the physical profile of the defensive end better than Booker.
Booker finally made his 2025 season debut and had a key strip sack in the fourth quarter, giving both the fans and Poles hope that he can continue to develop and excel under Allen. After all, Poles moved up to draft him in the fourth round last year. Poles desperately needs Booker to be successful due to the injuries on the defensive line.
Read more: Ryan Poles quietly told Bears fans his feelings on Austin Booker after trade
With Tryon-Shoyinka being the only addition at the deadline, and Booker now expected to get more playing time, Allen will face his greatest challenge by trying to scheme his way out of trouble for the rest of the season.