It was one of the more puzzling decisions of the Chicago Bears‘ entire off-season. Despite a clear need along their defensive line after losing both Yannick Ngakoue and Justin Jones to free agency, the team didn’t invest heavily in that area. Their only notable addition was 5th round pick Austin Booker out of Kansas. While he should help them in a rotational role, it doesn’t make the front much better. This means the Bears either have a plan to find more help, or they’re banking on improvement from guys on the roster like Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens.
There is one other explanation, though. One thing to remember about GM Ryan Poles is he’s never thinking just about the upcoming season. He always has one eye forward, gauging what players are coming down the pipeline in the next year or two. Doing this helps to explain his actions over the past few months. According to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network, early projections for the 2025 NFL draft have it loaded with defensive line talent, both interior and edge. The Bears likely chose to focus on the offense this off-season, knowing they’d be able to beef up the defensive line next spring.
Caleb Williams will have a stable offensive line and three high-end pass targets (DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, and Rome Odunze), all under contract. His supporting cast will be strong. That frees up Poles to go hog wild on defense if he wishes. The Bears have three picks in the first two rounds. If what Fowler says is true, Poles could double up on the front four with two of those picks. That would be a massive infusion of talent, especially if Booker happens to progress as they hope in the coming months.
Until then, the Chicago Bears believe they have enough talent up front to survive a year. Montez Sweat is a Pro Bowler. Dexter made big strides down the stretch last season. DeMarcus Walker is still a solid presence. If they can find somebody to fill the speed rusher role, be it Booker or a veteran free agent, that should suffice. The Bears have one of the best secondaries in the NFL and a solid linebacking corps as well. This defense should still rank in the top half of the league. If the offense takes a step forward as hoped, they will be in the playoff mix.
