The Bears should sign a former Pro Bowl edge rusher, and it isn’t Joey Bosa originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Chicago Bears are expected to return as one of the top teams in the NFC in 2026 and compete for a second consecutive NFC North title.
However, there are still a few glaring needs on the roster that general manager Ryan Poles should look to address heading into the summer, especially the edge rusher group.
Outside of Montez Sweat, Chicago lacks proven production at edge rusher, as the team will be relying on Dayo Odeyingbo and Austin Booker to generate pressure opposite Sweat.
Though Odeyingbo has almost 30 games of starting experience, the veteran played just eight games last year due to an Achilles injury and recorded one sack. Booker, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, showed some promise in 2025 with 4.5 sacks, but the Bears can’t count on the Minnesota product to break out and become an effective running mate to Sweat.
As of right now, it sounds like Chicago has no plans to address the edge rusher position before the season, but that would be a grave mistake, as Ben Johnson’s squad won’t be able to compete for a Super Bowl unless the pass rush is playing at a high level.
That’s why the Bears need to go out and sign a former Pro Bowl edge rusher still on the free agency market.
Bears should sign Jadeveon Clowney, not Joey Bosa
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay suggests Chicago should sign Joey Bosa to bolster the edge rusher room, but I think Jadeveon Clowney would be the better fit for the Bears at this stage.
Though Bosa is still a solid player, his sack production has fallen off a cliff over the last few years. In 15 games with the Buffalo Bills last year, Bosa tallied just five sacks, and hasn’t posted double-digit sacks in a season since 2021 with the Los Angeles Chargers.
On the other hand, Clowney proved in 2025 that he is still a force to be reckoned with on the defensive line. In a rotational role with the Dallas Cowboys this past season, Clowney totaled 8.5 sacks, and just a few years ago in 2023, the former No. 1 pick had 9.5 sacks as a key member on a dominant Baltimore Ravens defense.
The Bears need a pure pass rusher who can contribute to winning football, and Clowney fits that bill. At this stage of his career, the 33-year-old has more pass-rushing upside than Bosa, and though he may be a slightly worse run defender, Chicago should look past that and sign the veteran.
As for how much it would take to sign Clowny, Spotrac projects the three-time Pto Bowler will land a one-year deal worth $5.7 million. That is a pretty team-friendly deal, especially for the Bears, who have just $11 million in cap space.