ESPN Insider Says Chicago Bears Have One More Roster Move Planned

The Chicago Bears have gone silent with roster moves following the end of undrafted free agency. Some may take this as a signal that they are content with its construction and have begun preparing for the upcoming season. That is not entirely the case. Right now, GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus aim to use the months of May and June for roster evaluation. They want to see where every position group is at, both in terms of talent level and readiness. After getting that information, the two will reach an informed decision on what to do next.

ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler gave an update on the Bears’ situation. From what he’s gathered, there is one position that the organization feels isn’t quite settled yet. That is edge rusher. This isn’t a big surprise. Outside of 5th round pick Austin Booker, the team didn’t make any notable moves in that area. It has left many concerned about the lack of a #2 option across from Montez Sweat. Fowler said on NFL Live that it is likely the team will wait to see how the market settles over the next month or two before adding somebody before training camp.

The Chicago Bears did the same thing last year.

Many were concerned about the edge rusher spot going into the summer. Then, right before camp, they signed veteran Yannick Ngakoue on a one-year deal. They may take the same approach. Ngakoue is still available and reportedly healthy after breaking his ankle last season. Other options include Emmanuel Ogbah, who had back-to-back 9-sack seasons in 2020 and 2021. An injury sidelined him in 2022 before he rebounded last year with 5.5 sacks. Carl Lawson is also available. He had seven sacks in 2022 before missing most of last year with injuries.

They could also consider Romeo Okwara, Markus Golden, Justin Houston, and Tyus Bowser. All have productive track records but are also on the older side. Some have iffy injury histories. It comes down to which one the Chicago Bears think fits their defensive style and can offer a legitimate threat opposite Sweat. One thing worth noting is Houston actually played under Eberflus in Indianapolis for two years. Much depends on his health. He missed most of last season but did have 9.5 sacks the year prior.