Chicago Bears pass rush trade gets new signs of life

While the Chicago Bears are entering the 2026 season with plenty of hype, their pass rush situation still leaves a lot to be desired. The franchise has been linked to pass rusher trades throughout the offseason, but nothing has come to fruition.

Still, that’s not to say the Bears are completely out on the idea. If Chicago continually struggles to get after the pass rusher, Dan Graziano of ESPN wouldn’t be shocked to see them finally pull the trigger.

“Chicago is thin on defense, especially on the back end. But it’s up front where the team is still looking for a strong edge presence opposite Montez Sweat,” Graziano wrote. “The Bears added veteran Marcus Davenport a couple of weeks ago, but that move doesn’t appear to be working out; they let Davenport go in their initial cut down to 53 players over the weekend before bringing him back on the practice squad.”

“Bears GM Ryan Poles has been an active and aggressive trader in his time with the team, and he’ll turn over every rock he can looking for an impact player up front,” he continued. “The Bears’ health issues on defense might be more concentrated on the back end, but improving the pass rush would help the secondary, too.”

It would be a bit of a shock to see a trade come to fruition before Week 1. However, if pass rush remains a problem during the season, a deal will become even more likely.

Chicago Bears relying on current pass rush 

One of the biggest reasons the Bears haven’t swung a trade for a pass rusher is the franchise’s belief in what they currently have. Head coach Ben Johnson has changed the trajectory of the organization. But he is putting a lot of faith in numerous unestablished names.

Montez Sweat is the unquestioned leader of the group. He led the team with 18 quarterback hits and 10 sacks in 2025. The bigger question is who will be operating opposite of him?

Dayo Odeyingbo and Austin Booker – when healthy – are first in line for the opportunity. Both have shown flashes in the past, but Odeyingbo is coming off of a season-ending Achilles injury while Booker has just 27 games of NFL experience. Behind them are special teamer Daniel Hardy and preseason standout Jamree Kromah.

The Bears are entering Week 1 confident in their unit. But with their eyes on a deep playoff run, going outside the organization for pass rush help may be necessary.

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