Updated Feb. 7, 2026, 4:23 p.m. CT
The Chicago Bears’ edge rusher position received a C+ grade for the 2025 season.Montez Sweat had a solid season, recording 10 sacks and providing consistent pressure.Free agent signing Dayo Odeyingbo was a disappointment, suffering a season-ending Achilles tear after underperforming.Second-year player Austin Booker showed significant promise after returning from an early-season injury.
The Chicago Bears had a magical 2025 season under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, where they went from worst to first with an 11-6 record, NFC North title and the franchise’s first playoff win in 15 years. And there’s no denying that the future is bright.
While the Bears exceeded expectations in their first year under Johnson, there’s still plenty of work to be done with this roster, most notably on defense. After overhauling the offense in the trenches and at skill positions, the focus shifts to the defense where the hope is general manager Ryan Poles does the same to round out this unit under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and form a complete team with a top-five offense.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position through the 2025 Bears and grading every player. Now that we’ve gone through the offense, it’s time to turn our attention to the defense, beginning with edge rusher. The Bears knew they needed to upgrade the position last offseason and did so by signing free agent Dayo Odeyingbo to a multi-year contract and drafting Shemar Turner out of Texas A&M in the third round of the draft to go with Montez Sweat and Austin Booker. While the overall production improved from a year ago, the position still struggled too often throughout the season.
Montez Sweat
2025 stats: 53 total tackles, 13 for loss, 10 sacks, 18 QB hits, 53 pressures, 3 forced fumbles, 5 passes batted (17 games)
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All offseason, we were hearing from coaches and executives alike that Montez Sweat was working as hard as anyone in the building to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 season. And though he may not have gotten back to the same Pro Bowl-caliber player the Bears acquired in 2023, he rebounded nicely in 2025. Sweat played in all 17 games and was fairly consistent when it came to locking down one side of the defensive line. Statistically speaking, Sweat had arguably the second-best season of his career, but his impact really shined in the middle of the season. From Weeks 7 through 12, Sweat totaled 6.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, nine QB hits, and two forced fumbles. He also came up big in key moments, like thwarting any sort of momentum from the Packers at the end of regulation in Week 16 and terrorizing Mason Rudolph and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12. Sweat may not be the dominant pass rusher the Bears were hoping he would be, but he’s valuable as someone who can do it all.
Grade: B
Dayo Odeyingbo
2025 stats: 21 total tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 4 QB hits, 10 pressures, 1 pass batted (8 games)
The Bears attempted to find a quality starting defensive end to play opposite Sweat by signing Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year deal worth $32 million guaranteed. Odeyingbo had the traits defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was looking for as a bigger-bodied end, but his production with the Indianapolis Colts left much to be desired. The hope was Odeyingbo’s traits would shine through and help elevate his game in this new system. What the Bears got, however, was an expensive non-factor that only lasted half the season. Odeyingbo shined in his debut in Week 1 with one sack, one tackle for loss, and a pass deflection. He was invisible for the next seven games, averaging just one pressure a week. In Week 9, Odeyingbo suffered a torn Achilles against the Cincinnati Bengals that ended his season and could impact his 2026 campaign. It was a disastrous first year in Chicago for Odeyingbo, and it may not get much better with the injury concern.
Grade: D
Austin Booker
2025 stats: 35 total tackles, 5 for loss, 4.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 29 pressures, 1 forced fumble, 3 passes batted (10 games)
Going into last season, Austin Booker was a popular breakout candidate. The 2024 fifth-round pick had a year under his belt to develop and shone throughout training camp and the preseason. Unfortunately, a knee injury that Booker suffered in the second preseason game delayed his start, knocking him out until November. When he returned, though, Booker picked up right where he left off with a strip sack against the Bengals and quarterback Joe Flacco. For the rest of the season, Booker became the spark the pass rush needed. He stepped up in run defense and became adept at batting balls at the line of scrimmage. His most memorable moments came against the Packers when he became the subject of criticism after knocking quarterback Jordan Love out of the Week 16 game and for terrorizing him during the wild card playoff matchup. Booker is still so young, having just turned 23 in December. He’s headed in the right direction and should play a significant role in 2026.
Grade: B+
Dominique Robinson
2025 stats: 19 total tackles, 3 for loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 QB hits, 12 pressures (12 games)
Somehow, someway, Dominique Robinson was able to complete all four years of his rookie deal with the Bears. It felt as if the former fifth-round pick was on his way out half a dozen times, but he stuck around and was able to have his best season since his rookie year. Robinson was a rotational player who saw more action than expected due to injuries. Though he missed time himself, Robinson was more consistent in Allen’s system, rushing from different spots on the line. His best moment came in the divisional round game against the Los Angeles Rams when Robinson burst through the offensive line right off the snap to force a fumble against Matthew Stafford. A free agent this offseason, Robinson may have played his last down in Chicago. If that’s the case, he’s leaving on a high note after a surprisingly competent season.
Grade: C+
Shemar Turner
2025 stats: 6 total tackles, 2 for loss (5 games)
The Bears spent a second-round pick on defensive tackle Shemar Turner in the 2025 NFL Draft to give them another piece to work with on the defensive line. Unfortunately, Turner’s rookie season can be considered a wash. He suffered a high ankle sprain during training camp that slowed his progress. When he finally saw the field beginning in Week 3, Turner played at defensive tackle before transitioning to defensive end. Turner is a high-motor player who didn’t quit on plays, and that was evident during his brief time on the field. His season was cut short in Week 8 when he suffered a torn ACL against the Baltimore Ravens.
Grade: INCOMPLETE
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
2025 stats: 13 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 QB hit, 8 pressures (8 games)
The Bears lost three defensive linemen for an extended period of time in the middle of the season (Odeyingbo, Robinson, and Turner) and needed reinforcements at the position. Their answer was Joe Tyron-Shoyinka, whom they acquired at the trade deadline from the Cleveland Browns for a sixth-round pick. Tyron-Shoyinka was a rotational player for the second half of the year, and while he wasn’t flashy, he was fairly effective when on the field, particularly against the run. His best game came against his former team when he notched three tackles against the Browns.
Grade: C+
Daniel Hardy
2025 stats: 22 total tackles, 1 QB hit, 2 pressures (17 games)
The Bears brought Daniel Hardy back as a core special teams player, but saw some action at defensive end. Hardy logged 54 snaps on defense, most of them coming in the first half of the season. Hardy will be more remembered for his two offensive snaps late in the year at fullback than anything he did on defense.
Grade: D+
Tanoh Kpassagnon
2025 stats: 5 total tackles, 1 for loss, 1 sack, 2 QB hits, 2 pressures (4 games)
Tanoh Kpassganon saw playing time with the Bears early in the year in place of Austin Booker. He had one memorable game in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings with two tackles, one for loss, and a sack, but produced very little after that. After the Bears exhausted their options with him on the practice squad, Kpassagnon was cut in the middle of the season.
Grade: Incomplete
Position grade: C+
The Bears put forth more of an effort this offseason to try and upgrade the edge position around Sweat, but their big moves didn’t pay off. Odeyingbo struggled when healthy before he suffered a severe injury, and Turner saw limited action before getting injured himself. Sweat is an upper-echelon player at his position, but he will never be one of the elite pass rushers. Despite him reaching double-digit sacks, the team total decreased by five compared to last year, showing how important it is to find a capable pass rush on the other side. The Bears have been tied to multiple big names at the position early in the offseason, so time will tell whether or not they take a big swing.