The Chicago Bears had an impactful offseason that included a slew of new additions on both sides of the ball. That included, most notably, the trenches that featured a revamped interior offensive line and some new faces along the defensive line, including edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo.
Following the release of DeMarcus Walker, the Bears brought in Odeyingbo (who signed a three-year, $48 million deal) to shore up the edge opposite star Montez Sweat. While Odeyingbo wasn’t the big name everyone was expecting, he’s a young, ascending player in this league who could flash in Dennis Allen’s defense. Odeyingbo also brings versatility to the defensive line, as he can line up off the edge or along the interior.
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But Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox isn’t convinced. In fact, he predicted that Odeyingbo has the potential to be the biggest bust for Chicago this season.
Edge-defender Dayo Odeyingbo was a good rotational player for three seasons with the Colts before emerging as a starter last year. However, expectations for him are set to jump after he signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Chicago Bears.
Unfortunately, Odeyingbo will have a difficult time living up to those higher expectations. Though a starting-caliber end, he’s unlikely to provide a massive boost to Chicago’s sack production. The 25-year-old had just three sacks, seven tackles for loss and 19 QB pressures in 17 games last season.
The skepticism is understandable, especially considering Odeyingbo has started just 19 games in his four-year career, where he’s totaled 16.5 sacks. But he’s a young, ascending player who will now have the opportunity to work with one of the best in Sweat along with new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Chicago’s pass rush needs to be better in 2025, and Odeyingbo will no doubt play a key role in just how much success they have.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: New Bears defensive lineman could be Chicago’s biggest bust in 2025