Despite Montez Sweat’s domination, the Bears’ pass rush is still their worst defensive weakness, though they will have access to free agents who could improve it.
On a third down at Lambeau Field, DeMarcus Walker sacked Jordan Love during the first quarter to force a failed Anders Carlson field goal.
It was about the only time in the 2023 season finale that the Bears got close to Love and there was something else about the play.
Montez Sweat arrived on the scene via trade at midseason. The Bears pass rush picked up drastically then. Of this there is no doubt.
It still has a long way to go. The biggest Bears need on defense this offseason is upgrading the pass rush at tackle or end, as their linebackers seemed to have grasped the Matt Eberflus defense well by midseason and the secondary gradually became one of the most feared in the league. They had become one of the league’s best run defenses very early in the season.
The Bears still finished dead last in sack percentage at 4.64% after they were next to last in 2022 at 3.99%. Part of the reason their defense finished next to last at preventing touchdowns within the red zone defense was an inability to come up with sacks and pressure at that point in the field.
Overall, the “Sweat Effect,” was great, but getting Sweat some help in the pass rush is going to be critical to their offseason if they are to keep pressure off of him in the future.
Yannick Ngakoue, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 13, is a free agent and didn’t really provide the kind of help the Bears needed from a starting pass rusher.
If there is someone else besides Sweat who can get to the quarterback then the ball could be coming out even faster and more wild, leaving it up for grabs for a defense that was tied for first in interceptions (22).
Then maybe they won’t finish 29th at preventing touchdown passes and 29th in completions allowed per game (24.1) again.
Fortunately for the Bears, there could be edge rush help available in free agency. There also will be edge rushers in the draft, although draft analysts call this somewhat of a thin year for edge rush men.
It’s a good thing for the Bears, then, that they have some salary cap space available to find an edge rusher or even interior pass rusher in free agency. They could have about $58 million if they make some cap cuts.
After paying out $20 million a year on their deal with Sweat after the trade, the Bears are far less likely to bring in one of the biggest ticket free agents who are projected above even Sweat’s pay rate.
Also, the Bears are going to need at least $18.8 million next year to keep Jaylon Johnson on a franchise tag, or something close to get him a new contract.
Here’s who they could find out in the open market on the edge if they choose this costly path to bolster the rush.
Josh Allen, Jacksonville: The Jaguars edge will likely be beyond the Bears’ reach both literally and figuratively. The Jaguars won’t want a player who made 17 1/2 sacks in 2023 get away, and can be expected to tag him or get him an extension. Allen had 27 1/2 career sacks going into his fifth season in 2023. Besides his 17 1/2 sacks, he had 46 pressures and is projected at $23.9 million a year by Spotrac.com, $22.79 million a year by Pro Football Focus, which had him graded 11th out of 118 edge players in 2023.
Danielle Hunter, Minnesota: What better way to disrupt a division opponent than take away their best pass rusher? It would be expensive, as the 6-5, 230-pound is projected at $21.67 million a year by PFF and $20 million a year by Spotrac.com. Hunter is coming off a career year with 16 1/2 sacks and has 87 1/2 in his eight years. He had a whopping 41 pressures in Brian Flores’ scheme.
Brian Burns, Carolina: The Bears had interest in him last year before settling for DJ Moore as part of the trade with the Panthers as they moved down from No. 1 to No. 9 in the draft. He’s coming off a somewhat disappointing year with eight sacks and 21 pressures. Spotrac.com, however, projects the 6-5, 250-pounder at $21.7 a year and $22.8 million a year by PFF.
Bryce Huff, N.Y. Jets: Some might say, “who?” Huff first made a real pass rush impact in 2023 with 10 sacks and 33 pressures. PFF gave him a 90.4 grade for the year. Despite just breaking into double digts in sacks for the first time, PFF projects the 6-3, 255-pounder at $16.7 million per year.
Chase Young, San Francisco: Sweat’s teammate from Washington, who got traded when the Bears edge did. Bears social media erupted with shots at Ryan Poles for not getting the edge they wanted. With the 49ers and a dominant defensive front on his side, Young had only 2 1/2 sacks and seven pressures through the remainder of the year. It looks by these numbers like the Bears took the right player in their trade. But this doesn’t mean Young isn’t capable. The 6-5, 264-pounder had a sack total for 2023 equal to his career best as a rookie prior to the knee injury that set back his career. Young now appears over the injury. He is projected by Spotrac.com at $13.6 million a year and by PFF at $15 million a year.
Za’Darius Smith, Cleveland: For pure value, Smith might be the best edge rusher available to the Bears. He didn’t have a good year at all in pure sack numbers with 5 1/2, his lowest total for a full season since 2017. However, his pressure was good and he remained solid against the run. The 6-4, 275-pounder, seems a better fit for the Bears scheme than as a linebacker playing in coverage at times. He was graded 18th out of 118 edge rushers by PFF in 2023 after he was 13th of 119 with the Vikings in 2022. Spotrac is calling for a $12 million a year deal and PFF at $11.7 million. Smith will be 32 next seasonn.
Jadeveon Clowney, Baltimore: Yes, the ultimate hired hand pass rusher is on the list again. Clowney nearly got double digit sacks for the first time playing for the Ravens, with 9 1/2 total to go with 23 pressures. The 6-5, 266-pounder will be 31 next season and is projected at $9 million for one year by PFF. He could be playing for his sixth team in his 11th season.
Mike Danna, Kansas City: He had a bit of a breakthrough year with career highs of 6 1/2 sacks and 21 pressures and had seven tackles for loss. The 6-2, 257-pounder is projected at $16.7 million by Spotrac.com but just $8.25 million by PFF, which graded him 66th of 118 edge players last year.
Josh Uche, New England: Although hasn’t been much of a pass rusher, the 6-3, 240-pound edge is valued as a run stopper and player who beats pass blocks to disrupt. He has just three career sacks and made three sacks a year after a breakthrough 11 1/2-sack, 25-pressure season. Uche is projected at $14.5 million by Spotrac and $7.25 million by PFF.
Leonard Floyd, Buffalo: The 2016 Bears first-round draft pick has played a valuable rule for the Bills and Rams after leaving Chicago. In 2023, he matched a career high with 10 1/2 sacks but his 25 pressures were his lowest total since his rookie year in Chicago, when he had 23. Spotrac projects $8.1 million a year and PFF $6 million a year.
Dorance Armstrong, Dallas: After 7 1/2 sacks last season, Armstrong has 23 1/2 for six years and the 6-4, 255-pounder is projected at $8.5 million by PFF. He is at his best in a wide-nine look and was graded 50th of 118 edge rushers by PFF last season.
