The Chicago Bears are expected to be active in free agency as they try to revamp the roster to the specifications of their new coaching staff. That includes identifying potential pieces for new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. He already has a strong foundation to work with, anchored by Montez Sweat, Jaylon Johnson, Gervon Dexter, Kyler Gordon, and T.J. Edwards. So don’t expect any blockbuster contracts. However, there is a strong possibility they work on the fringes to boost the floor of this unit.
A source told SM that Allen is hoping to bring in a familiar face from his time with the New Orleans Saints: defensive end Chase Young. The Saints took a one-year flier on him this past season, watching him rack up 5.5 sacks and 66 pressures. He’s still just 25 years old and is expected to command around $10-12 million per year on his next deal.
Dennis Allen loves types like Young.
He prefers bigger defensive ends who are explosive. Young is 6’5″, 265 lbs, and quick off the ball. There is a reason he was the #2 overall pick a few years ago. Unfortunately, injury setbacks stunted his growth in Washington. The Saints gave him a fresh start, and he seemed to handle it well despite the team’s obvious issues. Chicago offers him a potential home where he wouldn’t have to be the guy. He’d even reunite with Sweaet, who was teammates with him for every season of his career before 2024. The addition of playing in front of a good secondary like the Bears’ should give him ample opportunities to boost those sack numbers.
Whether this happens will depend on the sales pitch Dennis Allen gives to the front office. Given the price tag, it isn’t too outlandish to think the Bears will make an effort to land him. Smart money says there will be competition, though.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
@David —
Montez Sweat (6’6″, 260lbs.) scored a 9.9 RAS (relative athletic score) when he turned in a 4.41 secord forty-yard dash; and a 1.54 second, 10-yard split.
You might be hard pressed to find someone faster.
If Montez Sweat is not “getting there” it’s probably not due to a lack of footspeed.
@Dr. Melhus — Educate yourself — rather than applying your lively imagination to each and every Ryan Poles situation. The deal for Chase Young’s rookie contract (the 49ers traded their 2024 compensatory which became #102) was completed prior to the Bears trading their 2024 2nd-round pick (which would become #40) for the REMAINDER of Montez Sweat’s NFL rookie contract [#40 was eventually traded to the Eagles and they selected Cooper DeJean, an NFL All-Rookie CB. Watch him in the Super Bowl, this week.] It has been reported that John Lynch was asked by his friend and former teammate Martin Mayhew,… Read more »
C Young solves an immediate need for the Bears. The combination of Sweat, Young, Dexter, across that front would be a nightmare for OC’s to gameplan especially given the added nickel corner blitzes Allen loves to use and the athleticism and fearlessness of K Gordon as well as the added S blitz that could come from J Brisker when healthy, not to mention how strong the back seven can be with better coaching which has already been installed by B Johnson. The upcoming FA period will clear up several questions and open the door on what to expect in the… Read more »
My worry with Chase Young is that what I’ve heard about him is that he’s very talented, but will sometimes take plays off, and he isn’t disciplined. So if he has contain on one side, and it looks like he can rush up the middle, he’ll drop his responsibility and go in. Great if he gets the sack, but bad if he lets the QB leak out for a long run or a great scramble and long pass. My read on the Washington DE fire sale was that the Bears traded for Sweat precisely because he wasn’t like that, he… Read more »
They would still need to draft that speed Rusher. Sweat and Young are the big bookends but we need a guy who can rev up the engine.