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The Chicago Bears' season spiraled out of control very quickly last season after giving up a Hail Mary to lose to the Washington Commanders. The Bears had a promising 4-2 start, but finished the year just 5-12.
Now, the Bears have a new coaching staff and they are looking to revamp the roster in order to improve in year two with Caleb Williams at quarterback. Bringing in Ben Johnson as the new head coach should provide an immediate boost for the offense, but the defense has some room for improvement as well.
One spot that the Bears should be looking for reinforcements this offseason is at edge rusher. Montez Sweat is a locked in starter on one side, but a big free agent addition on the other side could give this group a fearsome pass rush that can help Chicago get back into the playoffs.
Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher Josh Sweat is one of the top names on the market at the position, but the Bears could also try and reunite with former Los Angeles Charger and current free agent pass rusher Khalil Mack, according to Adam Hoge's CHGO newsletter.
“One name I’ve heard quite a bit when it comes to the edge rusher position is Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat, who had a massive Super Bowl. He could command somewhere between $18-20 million/year,” Hoge wrote. “Another player who will be up in that range, if not higher? Khalil Mack, who turned 34 last week. While significantly older, Mack might be the safer option because you might be able to get him on a two-year deal that is really only a one-year deal.”
Mack is obviously a short-term investment, but he could prove to be a Band-Aid solution for this defense next season and could give the Bears the chance to move on and use that money elsewhere after the 2025 season.
The Bears will need an elite pass rush to compete in one of the best divisions in football. The Minnesota Vikings should be very good again despite the likely departure of Sam Darnold, and the Green Bay Packers will return most of the key pieces from one of the best teams in the NFC. The Detroit Lions are undergoing a lot of change, but they still return a very talented roster under Dan Campbell.
Sweat would be a longer-term investment for the Bears, and he has earned a big contract after his incredible performance in the Super Bowl. Regardless, landing one of these two would be a huge win for the Bears in free agency.
