This post-draft question is the same one that's driving Bears fans up a wall

The Chicago Bears' prayers and hopes were not met after the 2026 NFL Draft, as the team once again ignored a critical position.

There was a lot of criticism of the Bears for not selecting a single edge rusher, even though it had been pointed out as a position of need throughout the offseason. CBS Sports writer Tyler Sullivan asked the same post-draft question that Bears fans have at the moment: Does Chicago have enough at edge rusher?

"The Bears have kept the status quo at edge rusher this offseason, not bringing in a player via free agency or the draft. This comes after a 2025 season where the defense ranked in the bottom half of the league in sacks and pressure rate, so this does feel like an area of the depth chart that still needs to be addressed. While the top-tier free agents have already signed, there are some notable names still lingering on the open market, including Joey Bosa and Jadeveon Clowney. Either one of those players could be an option to bolster the unit."

So...do the Bears have enough at edge rusher for the moment?

A lot of faith is being put into Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Shemar Turner to be the supporting role players the Bears need on the defensive line. Montez Sweat finally lived up to his massive contract extension from Chicago, recording a team-high 10 sacks.

Booker showed the most potential among the three players grouped together as he racked up 4.5 sacks in half a season of work. The problem with Odeyingbo and Turner is that they missed significant time last year, which leaves more questions to be answered. Turner gets a pass since he was a rookie, but Odeyingbo got a large free agent contract last offseason, and even playing half a season didn't nearly come close to playing at the level he should have been.

This is a Bears pass rush that was one of the worst in the NFL in sacks, with 35 in 17 games; only six teams had fewer. They need to be sure that guys like Booker, Odeyingbo, and Turner can step up and help better support Sweat.

The potential is there, but that's all that has been seen. More work is needed to get the Bears' pass rush to the level it needs to be.

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