There is no doubt the Chicago Bears could use a little more depth at defensive end.
If the Bears want to strengthen their pass rush before the season starts, then they should look no further than Philadelphia Eagles legend Brandon Graham.
Seeing Brandon Graham in a Bears jersey might take some getting used to. But when you break down the benefits this signing would have for both parties, it makes a lot of sense.
Bears should highly consider Brandon Graham as an option
After shocking the NFL world by winning the NFC North title, beating the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card, and almost upsetting the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round, the Bears have earned their place as a dark horse to win the Super Bowl. They also managed to keep the bulk of their key starters on the offensive side of the ball.
On defense, they shored up their secondary by signing Coby Bryant and drafting Dillon Thieneman. Despite these changes, the defensive line remains just about the same. This is where Brandon Graham comes in.
An experienced veteran with two Super Bowl rings, Graham would be an excellent addition to the Bears defensive line. While there is no doubt the 38-year-old can't play like he used to, he is still good for 15% of the team's total snaps on defense. Having Graham in the Bears' pass rush rotation would make an immediate impact, especially since the Bears finished in the bottom half of the league in team sacks last season, per StatMuse.
Time and time again, Graham has proven he has the clutch gene. During his Eagles career, there were multiple times when he sacked the quarterback when the team needed it most. This was the case in the Eagles' first Super Bowl when Graham strip-sacked Tom Brady in the closing moments of the game.
Basically, Graham has been there before, and he can still get to the quarterback in small doses. He could also become a player-coach for the younger players on the team.
Now imagine a third-and-long against the Green Bay Packers where Graham lines up on the opposite side of Montez Sweat and changes the momentum of the game with a sack of Jordan Love? That is music to the ears of every Bears fan.
Despite all of Ryan Poles' victories over the years, he still hasn't found the Bears' franchise pass rusher. While Graham is obviously too old to fill this role, the Bears might not need one.
When you look at the last two Super Bowl champions, neither team had a franchise pass rusher. Instead, both the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks had a group of game-wreckers on the defensive line who weren't afraid to get their hands dirty in the trenches. If anything, this proves you don't need a defensive end with 20 sacks to win the Super Bowl when you have five players who can get to the quarterback. With that being said, Graham could be the missing puzzle piece on the Bears' defensive line.
If Graham does sign with the Bears, it would continue the trend of aging pass rushers signing with a contender for another ring. Von Miller did it with the Los Angeles Rams, and Carlos Dunlap did it with the Kansas City Chiefs. After trading for Myles Garrett, future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald is considering a comeback with the Rams and even had a tryout with the team after three years away from the game.
Read more: Bears' underwhelming draft pick might be turning a corner in training camp
While Graham signing with the Bears is a fun thought, sources have indicated the most likely team to sign him is the Eagles.
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