Roster Move: Bears add pass rushing DE Dayo Odeyingbo to $48 million deal

Christine Tannous - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 3 hours ago

You love the NFL offseason, don't you? From the free agent signing period to the NFL draft and then the eventual trades that happen throughout the offseason, it makes for one of the best few months in sports. This season has especially brought tons of joy to the Chicago Bears as they not only got aggressive on the Trade front with Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, but the Bears have also struck gold by adding center Drew Dalman.

That was only the start for Chicago as Ryan Poles continued to display an aggressive nature that he hadn't always shown before. Not only did the Bears focus on addressing the offensive line, but this team needed more help on the defensive side of the ball, espeically in the pass rushing department. Apart from Montez Sweat, the Bears have lacked a true No. 2 in the pass rush portion of the defense, leading to some struggles across the board.

Well, if Monday is any indication of what is to come on defense, not only did the Bears add to their defense, but they added to it in a big way by landing former Indianapolis Colts DE Dayo Odeyingbo, who was also a free agent target ahead of the 2023 NFL season. Odeyingbo was one of the surprise players on the Colts defense last season, and with a three-year, 48 million dollar contract, he will have a lot to prove in Chicago.

Not considered an elite pass rusher like some of the other players in this year's free agent class, Odeyingbo has registered 106 career tackles and 16.5 sacks across four NFL seasons. His best season came in 2023 when he registered eight sacks across 17 games.

Last season saw Odeyingbo take a massive step back, as he managed to pick up three sacks despite playing in all 17 games. The three sacks were his lowest total since his rookie season, and that is a bit concerning heading into the 2025 NFL season. Perhaps a change of scenery is what he needs to get back on track, and boy, are the Bears going to offer that change of scenery.

Fresh off another rough season, the Chicago Bears began to make some wholesale changes across the coaching staff and implemented Dennis Allen as their defensive coordinator. The former New Orleans Saints head coach has always been viewed as one of the best defensive coordinators in the game, and his aggressive play-calling nature is going to help the Bears.

Not only that, but it should help generate a more consistent pass rush, as Odeyingbo is going to give Sweat the presence he has been waiting for in Chicago, which in return could help turn him loose. Even if he didn't perform well last season, Odeyingbo was a huge part of the Colts defense for several seasons and is looking to cement himself in Chicago as a major part.

He saw limited action during his rookie season in 2021 but over 46% of the defensive snaps in 2022. That continued to go up in 2023 and 2024, when Odeyingbo was on the field for 84% of the team's snaps in 2023 and 79% of those snaps last year. Considering the production was down last season, just having him on the field does make a massive difference, and it's a difference the Bears haven't had in years.

Odeyinbgo has the height (6-6) and build (286 pounds) that Poles and company like in their defensive ends. He has violent hands despite not being the quickest off the ball. Remember that he is still just 25 years old and is still learning who he is as a player in this league.

No longer on his rookie deal, Odeyingbo has three years to prove himself in Chicago that he was worth this type of deal. There is no question that he will have tons of pressure, but if anyone can get him to live up to that pressure and the expectations that come with it, Allen is the guy as the Bears are gearing up for an exciting 2025 season.