]The Bears’ pass rush was toothless last season, both with and without Robert Quinn.
Trevis Gipson led the team with 30 pressures in 337 pass-rush snaps. That’s good for a pressure rate of 8.9 percent. Meanwhile, rookie safety Jaquan Brisker led the team in sacks with four.
A big offseason goal for general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus was to give the pass rush a massive facelift.
So far, that hasn’t happened.
The Bears signed DeMarcus Walker in free agency but have made no other significant additions to the edge-rushing rotation.
That figures to be priority 1A or 1B in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Bears currently own 10 picks in the draft and should leave the affair with at least two new edge rushers.
NFL
Below are several realistic options the Bears should target on each day of the draft.
ROUND 1
Tyree Wilson
We’ll start with a layup.
Wilson is everything head coach Matt Eberflus wants in an edge rusher. He’s long, strong, fast, and has an insanely high motor. Armed with an 8-foot wingspan, Wilson seldom allows tackles to get into pads and has impressive movement skills for a 275-pound end. Wilson had a breakout 2022 season at Texas Tech, recording eight sacks and 50 pressures to vault up big boards.
It feels like Wilson will be gone by the time the Bears go on the clock at No. 9, but it’s hard to see Eberflus and Poles passing on him if he falls into their lap.
Nolan Smith
If Wilson and Will Anderson are gone by the time the Bears go on the clock (likely), Smith is the next best option. Yes, Smith profiles as more of a 3-4 outside linebacker, but I have faith that the Bears’ staff can figure out how to deploy an elite athlete who flies off the edge, has top-tier bend and is a physical run defender.
My feelings on Smith are well-documented at this point. I think he’s exactly what the Bears need both on the field and in the locker room. He is wired and built to thrive in the H.I.T.S cathedral at Halas Hall and has the talent and traits to be a difference-maker off the edge.
DAY 2
Isaiah Foskey
With the Bears not slated to pick again until No. 53, I had to take Will McDonald IV, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Adetomiwa Adebawore, and B.J. Ojulari off the board for the Bears. All four are expected to be drafted between 20-45, so the Bears will have to make do with the next crop of edge rushers.
Foskey is the best of the rest and fits the mold of what the Bears want in a 4-3 end. He’s long, fast, and a sure tackler. Last season, Foskey recorded 12 sacks and 33 pressures, per Pro Football Focus.
“I think people are sleeping on Foskey a bit,” one NFC scout told NBC Sports Chicago. “He’s long, explosive, can win with power and speed. Great run defender. Four years at an elite program. What’s not to like?”
Derick Hall
The best Day 2 fit for the Bears at edge rusher is probably Auburn’s Derick Hall.
At 6-foot-3, 256 pounds with 34.5-inch arms and elite burst, Hall is the type of long, explosive, violent defensive lineman the Bears covet. Hall notched at least eight sacks and 40 pressures in each of his final two seasons at Auburn, per PFF.
He has a lethal first step but needs to refine his pass-rush moves to be effective at the next level.
Round 3 or 4
Byron Young
Young is another twitchy athlete with an elite first step and ideal physical tools to be a disruptive NFL edge rusher.
But he’ll be 25 as a rookie and still is relatively green as a prospect. Despite being early in the development phase, Young still managed to rack up nine sacks and 42 pressures to Tennessee last season.
“He’s still a project,” the NFC scout told NBC Sports Chicago. “But he’s explosive and has the drive to improve. With the tools and the work ethic, he could be one of the steals of the draft.”
K.J. Henry
The Clemson edge rusher is a high-floor prospect who should be able to offer substantial contributions to an NFL team out of the gate.
While Henry isn’t the most explosive athlete, he makes up for it with strong hands that help compensate for his lack of initial burst. He also has the versatility to kick inside on third downs, which should interest the Bears.
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Henry had five sacks and 53 pressures in 2022 but still has room to grow if he can add moves to his pass-rush repertoire to help him win on the edge. The Bears met with Henry after Clemson's pro day, so it's clear he's on their board in some capacity.
Day 3
YaYa Diaby
Diaby is a strong, straight-line rusher who wins with initial quickness and strong hands. But Diaby has a limited arsenal of pass-rush moves and often is neutralized once his lone move is defeated. Diaby also struggles to keep his pads low against the run, making him easily displaced.
The Louisville product can be a situational pass-rusher early on while he works to improve his pass-rush repertoire and develop as a run-stopper on the edge.
Viliami Fehoko
One of my favorite Day 3 prospects, Fehoko is an experienced edge defender who plays with a relentless motor and physicality.
The San Jose State product lacks explosiveness and only has average bend, but he is a versatile defender with a deep bag of pass-rush moves and a solid run defender. He doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but he can be a good rotational edge rusher in the NFL.