00:00The Chicago Bears are at a crossroads. The pieces are falling into place, the defense has its
00:04cornerstone in Montez Sweat, but let's be real, one elite pass rusher isn't enough. If Ryan Poles
00:11wants this team to contend, he has to find a second edge rusher, and he has to do it now.
00:19The Bears have made strides in building a competitive roster,
00:23but no championship-caliber defense survives without a dominant pass rush.
00:28This is a team that wants to be aggressive, wants to be physical,
00:32and wants to make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. And right now,
00:38they don't have enough firepower to do that. Montez Sweat has been a game changer since
00:43arriving in Chicago. He's a disruptor, a guy who commands double teams and the kind of pass
00:48rusher who makes everyone else around him better. But as dominant as he's been, he can't do it
00:55alone. Teams are game-planning for him, sliding protection his way, and daring the Bears to beat
01:01them with someone else. And that's where the problem starts. The Bears don't have that
01:06someone else. They've tried different options. Last season, they brought in Yannick Nikoui,
01:11hoping he'd provide a consistent presence on the opposite side of Sweat. But injuries slowed him
01:16down, and he never became the impact player the Bears needed. The result? A defense that was
01:20inconsistent in getting to the quarterback, a defense that gave opposing QBs too much time
01:24in the pocket, and a defense that struggled in key moments because they couldn't close the deal
01:30with sacks. Look around the league, and you'll see a clear trend. The best teams don't just have
01:34one great pass rusher. They have two, sometimes even three. The Dallas Cowboys have Micah Parsons
01:40and Demarcus Lawrence. The 49ers have Nick Bosa and Chase Young. The Eagles have Hyson Reddick
01:46and Josh Sweat. The Bears? They have Montez Sweat and a whole lot of question marks. That has to
01:53change. So, what are the options? How can the Bears find the missing piece that takes this
01:58defense to the next level? Reagency is one path, and right away, one name jumps out. Khalil Mack.
02:05Yeah, Bears fans know him well. He was a dominant force in Chicago before they traded him away,
02:10and now he's back on the market. But is a reunion really the best move? Mack is still productive,
02:16no doubt about it. He had a strong season last year, showing he still has plenty left in the
02:20tank. But he's 34 years old. He's not a long-term solution, and his price tag is going to be
02:26massive. If the Bears are already paying Montez Sweat over $24 million per year,
02:31does it really make sense to drop another $20 million on Mack? That's a tough sell.
02:37Instead, the Bears might be better off looking at younger, more affordable options in free agency.
02:42Josh Ucci from New England is an intriguing name. He's got speed, explosiveness, and upside.
02:47He's not a finished product yet, but he's young enough to grow into a more complete player.
02:51Another option? Daryl Taylor. And guess what? The Bears already made a move for him.
02:56Ryan Poles traded a sixth-round pick to Seattle to bring in Taylor, and that's a sneaky good move.
03:01He's got 21.5 sacks in three years, and while he's not an elite player yet, he's got the tools
03:10to be a very solid contributor. But one signing isn't enough. The Bears need more. And that brings
03:15us to the NFL draft. This year's draft class is loaded with pass-rushing talent. The Bears
03:21hold the 10th overall pick, and they have to seriously consider using it on an edge rusher.
03:27One name that keeps coming up is Mikel Williams from Georgia. This dude is a beast. He's got the
03:32size, the strength, and the athleticism to be an immediate impact player. He's the kind of guy who
03:38can develop into a cornerstone pass rusher for the next decade. If the Bears want to solve this
03:43problem for the long haul, drafting Williams would be a huge step in the right direction.
03:48And if they decide to go offensive line in round one, that's fine because there's still plenty of
03:54edge-rushing talent in round two. Braylon Trice from Washington is a name to watch.
04:00He's got a relentless motor, and he's the kind of player who just finds ways to get to the
04:06quarterback. Ades Isaac from Penn State is another option. He's a little raw, but he's got the
04:12physical tools to develop into a major contributor. Here's the thing. Ryan Poles has to break an old
04:18habit. The Bears have not prioritized edge rushers in the draft. Since 2014, the only one they've
04:26taken in the first four rounds? Leonard Floyd. That's it. And Floyd didn't even hit his prime
04:32until after he left Chicago. The Bears can't keep making that mistake. They need to invest
04:38in young, talented pass rushers. The best teams in the league build through the draft,
04:43and this is the perfect opportunity for Poles to make sure the Bears aren't left behind.
04:48This is a critical offseason. The Bears have a real chance to make a leap,
04:52but they can't afford to ignore the pass rush. Montez Sweat is a great start, but he needs help.
04:58Whether it's through free agency, a trade, or the draft, Ryan Poles has to find a second
05:04edge rusher, because if he doesn't, the Bears will be stuck in the same cycle.
05:09Flashes of promise, but not enough firepower to truly compete.
05:14The impact of a great pass rush goes beyond just sacks. It changes everything. A dominant
05:21edge duo makes life easier for the secondary. It forces quarterbacks into bad decisions. It
05:26shuts down running lanes. It tilts the field. When you have two legit pass rushers, it's a
05:32nightmare for offenses. Just look at the teams that have made deep playoff runs in recent years.
05:37They all have elite pass rushers. If the Bears want to join that conversation, they need to act
05:42now. So what's the best move? Should the Bears go all-in on a free agent? Should they draft
05:47an edge rusher early? Or should they double dip and do both? Bears fans, let me know what you
05:53think. Drop your thoughts in the comments. Who do you want to see rushing the passer opposite
05:58Montez Sweat? Should the Bears go after Khalil Mack, or is it time to move on? And if they go
06:03the draft route, who's the guy you want them to target? Smash that like button,
06:08subscribe if you haven't already, and as always, Bear Down!
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