Bears will have plenty of options to improve at defensive end this offseason

The offseason is always about how an NFL general manager can improve his roster. For the Chicago Bears, the 2024 offseason will present Ryan Poles with great opportunities in free agency and the NFL Draft to elevate the Bears into a playoff-caliber club.

Keeping with that spirit, I’m kicking off an offseason series in which I “Build the Bears.” I’ll evaluate each Chicago Bears position group and outline ways to improve through free agency and in the draft.

Let’s begin with one of the more exciting position groups on the team: Defensive End.

Montez Sweat leads the way

Poles traded a 2024 second-round pick to the Washington Commanders at the 2023 trade deadline for Montez Sweat, which paid off in spades. Sweat instantly transformed the Bears’ pass rush and, in so doing, made the entire defense better. It’s no coincidence that the Bears went from just six interceptions in their first eight games before trading for Sweat to sixteen in their final nine.

But the job is not done. Poles deserves credit for sticking to his guns and making that trade. But depth is still a concern, and for the Chicago Bears to have a dominant defense, Poles will need to add at least one more quality edge rusher and some reliable depth.

Luckily for him, there are plenty of avenues to achieve this in 2024.

Which Bears defensive ends should get cut?

First things first, some defensive ends and edge rushers will have to go, and the first name on that list is Yannick Ngakoue.

Ngakoue came to Chicago with a lot of hype, but he never generated much of a pass rush and ended the season on injured reserve. He only signed a one-year deal with the Bears, so it makes sense that he will be allowed to walk in the offseason. He technically isn’t a cut, but we’ll add him here anyway.

Dominique Robinson is another cut candidate. A fifth-round pick in 2022, Robinson showcased potential in college and came out swinging in his first career NFL game, but he has never put it all together as a pass rusher. He was a healthy scratch several times toward the end of the 2023 season, which means the writing is on the wall for him.

Which free-agent defensive ends should the Bears sign?

Several of the NFL’s top pass rushers could enter free agency in 2024. It’s a perfect situation for the Chicago Bears.

Danielle Hunter is the first name that comes to mind, and it should be a name that Bears fans know too well. He’s terrorized Bears quarterbacks with the Minnesota Vikings for the last eight years. Coming into last season, he signed just a one-year deal with Minnesota and could now test the market.

He’s an older player but won’t turn 30 until October. Some fans might also have concerns about whether Hunter can play in Chicago’s 4-3 defense (Minnesota has run a 3-4 base defense, which lists Hunter as an outside linebacker). But he’s plenty big enough to play on the line of scrimmage and talented enough to adjust.

This would be an expensive signing, but the Bears have the cap space to make it work.

Chase Young is another possibility, and it was even rumored last season that he would be the Commander Ryan Poles traded for instead of Sweat. Reuniting Young and Sweat makes a lot of sense. He is still young at just 24 years old and would likely cost much less than Danielle Hunter.

One final candidate to consider is Brian Burns. In 2022, the Panthers declined a trade offer for Burns that included two first-round picks. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Panthers viewed Burns, DJ Moore, Jaycee Horn, and Derrick Brown as’ foundational players.”

Yet here we are in 2024, and despite his rookie contract expiring, he still has not received a contract extension from the Panthers.

Burns will command a hefty contract, and the bidding war will be ferocious, but the Chicago Bears should have money to spend. Pairing any of these three players with Montez Sweat would be exciting, but if the Bears could land Burns, that would likely be the most impactful move of free agency.

The Bears may have difficulty finding a defensive end in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Here’s where the excitement slows down for pass rushers, the 2024 draft doesn’t have many instant-impact options. In fact, if the Bears don’t select a defensive end in the first round, the odds they’ll land a quality starter opposite Montez Sweat are low. The drop-off in talent is that steep in Rounds 2-7.

Fortunately, the Bears will be in a position to select one of this year’s top defensive end prospects at No. 9 overall.

The consensus top three players are UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, Alabama’s Dallas Turner, and Florida State’s Jared Verse. All three would be excellent options for the Bears with the ninth pick, and they could probably trade back to the mid-to-late teens and still have one of them on the board.

Of the three, Latu is my favorite for Chicago. Despite some scary medical history (and this is where Ryan Poles may balk), he’s been an absolute stud for UCLA. He would be a problem for offensive lines everywhere from the first day he steps onto an NFL field.

Bears Talk was in Mobile, Alabama, for the 2024 Senior Bowl and noted that Latu was “borderline unblockable’ and “the best player on the field”.

Jared Verse is a prospect who appears to be more traits-over-production. He came into the 2023 CFB season with a lot of buzz but failed to live up to the hype until the season was almost over. However, no one can deny his size, speed, and athleticism, and working with Matt Eberflus and new defensive coordinator Eric Washington while being mentored by Montez Sweat could unlock his full potential.

Dallas Turner is the one I have some concerns with, mainly regarding his size. We’ll see how he weighs in at the NFL Combine, but as of right now, he’s listed at just six-foot-four and 242 pounds. Sure, that’s almost the exact same build as his former teammate Will Anderson Jr, but Turner’s resume is nowhere close to what Anderson’s was coming out of college.

Turner might be a player more suited for a 3-4 base defensive scheme where he can play the outside linebacker role, standing up and away from the line of scrimmage. I’m not saying he wouldn’t work in Chicago, but I have reservations and would be concerned if Poles selects him.

What do you think, Bears fans? How would you improve Chicago’s defensive ends this offseason? Create a free user account and share your opinion in the comments (click “show comments” or the comment bubble). If you’d like an ad-free Bears Talk (and access to our exclusive content), consider upgrading to a premium account. It’s just $3.49/mo or $29.99/yr. We appreciate your support! Bear Down!