It has become the most head-scratching part of the 2026 offseason for the Chicago Bears and how general manager Ryan Poles is going about things.
Every Bears fan has pointed out the same issue the team had going into the offseason and continues to have: edge rusher problems. For months, everyone has waited on Poles to get aggressive and bring in the edge rusher that is needed to put the team over the top to be Super Bowl contenders. It's just been crickets since.
This problem is only going to get worse with more options being lost in the process. In just the last week alone, the Bears lost out on chances to get A.J. Epenesa, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Cameron Jordan, who returned to the New Orleans Saints.
Options at edge rusher are running out for Ryan Poles and the Bears
It was made clear that Poles has zero intentions of trading for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby despite "checking in" on them. The Bears don't want to surrender a first-round pick, which fans can somewhat understand, as Chicago values their picks.
That means that free agency has to be the next option, and that is becoming more problematic by the day. Luckily, the Bears still have some solid options between Joey Bosa and Von Miller to bring in. The question is, will they?
Poles is still hanging on to the dream that Dayo Odeyingbo is going to live up to his $48 million contract and get things rolling. The Bears are also hanging on the idea that Austin Booker can emerge as the next great pass rusher alongside Montez Sweat.
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While Booker might be able to help, Odeyingbo already feels like a lost cause, which doesn't make sense given how long Poles has let this situation go on. This is a gamble that if Poles doesn't get it right, he might end up like the guy he replaced, Ryan Pace, and be an advisor for a team because he didn't spend the money when the franchise needed him to.
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