At this point, the Bears will take a pass rusher any way they can get on and from anywhere on the field.

When Matt Eberflus coached the team, they talked at length about the need to get pass-rush help on the interior because it’s the quickest way to the opposing quarterback.

After three years of that, and a defense that finished next to last in ESPN pass-rush win rate while making only 35 sacks and ranking 29th against the run, the Bears simply want to get to the quarterback anyway they can.

Asked at the combine if defensive tackle or edge rusher is their priority, coach Ben Johnson’s answer might as well have been simply, “Yes.”

“Yeah, we just need good football players all across the board, and so as far as I’m concerned, I don’t mind so much if that’s the interior rush,” Johnson said. “Oh, sure, we’ll take it. If that’s the guy that’s on the edge fits the bill—sure, we’ll take that as well.”

Currently, the Chicago #Bears have no starter at these positions:

Left tackle
Linebacker
Free safety
Strong safety

The priority must be filling these needs and adding one impact player to the defensive line before the NFL draft.

— Ben Devine (@Chicago_NFL) February 26, 2026

Johnson isn’t even going to limit it to the draft, even though this has been the order of the day at Indianapolis. Free agency begins in less than two weeks with the legalized tampering period.

“Yeah, well, we’re still going through that process right now,” Johnson said. “Just free agency, there’s some guys out there that we feel like could help us out. We certainly feel good about some of the guys that we currently have in the building, that they will continue to ascend and take the coaching that DA (Dennis Allen) and the defensive staff are providing for them.

Someone will be willing to trade for Gervon Dexter and sign him to a contract extension.

FWIW, I think they should keep him through 2026 and then re-evaluate. But if the #Bears can get a high draft pick for someone who will probably walk next offseason, you have to consider.

— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) February 26, 2026

“But for us to take the next step as a defense, we do need to pressure  the quarterback in a more consistent clip. And so that is a point of emphasis for us. I do think this draft does have some guys that could possibly help us out in that regard. But that’ll be something that we got to look at. And it will be a point of emphasis when we come back in the springtime, just how do we increase our get-off to where we can put more pressure on the Q.”

If there is anyone yet to develop, it’s Austin Booker, Gervon Dexter and Shemar Turner.

I keep getting comments and seeing talk of people saying “Gervon Dexter didn’t work out”

He recently turned 24 Years old
Younger than some players in the 2026 NFL Draft
Has gotten better every season
Top 10 In Sacks at his position

His best football is yet to come #DaBears pic.twitter.com/p94SOZRXGm

— Swift Sports Network (@SwiftyNetwork) January 23, 2026

Dexter needs to develop more as a run stopper than pass rusher.

Johnson went through some backtracking then, claiming to need good players, period. Everyone knows they need pass rushers and also run stoppers.

Combine results for D-line

At the combine on Thursday, they saw some good speed from edges and a few defensive tackles when they ran the 40-yard dash, but the bigger edge rushers they would be more interested in either didn’t run or ran slow times.

Notable RAS for edge rushers today:

• Dani Dennis-Sutton: 9.93
• Malachi Lawrence: 9.90
• David Bailey: 9.67
• T.J. Parker: 9.33
• Cashius Howell: 8.11 https://t.co/VjC132c1BJ

— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) February 26, 2026

T.J. Parker of Clemson ran 4.68 at 6-foot-4, 263. Zane Durant of Penn State ran 4.75 at 6-1, 290. The fastest edge was Arvell Reese (6-4, 241) of Ohio State at 4.46, and he’ll be drafted early but doesn’t fit the scheme the Bears play with more stout edges. Texas Tech’s David Bailey (6-4, 253) ran 4.51. UCF’s Malachi Lawrence (6-4, 253) ran 4.52 and Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton  (6-6, 256) a 4.63.

Among the defensive tackles, Zane Durant of Penn State ran the fastest time in 4.75. Kaleb Proctor (6-2, 291) of Southeast Louisiana State ran 4.79. There were five other sub-5.0 40s, including a 4.88 by Kentucky’s Dave Gusta (6-2, 308).

Caleb Banks, projected in many mock drafts to the Bears early on in the process, came in at 6-6 1/4 and 327 but ran a 5.04 in the 40.

.@GatorsFB DT Caleb Banks put on an unreal performance today:

– 6’6″, 327 pounds
– 5.04 40-yard dash
– 32″ vertical jump
– 9’6″ broad jump@nflnetwork | @Accenture pic.twitter.com/FLWDdfKUUn

— NFL (@NFL) February 26, 2026

For comparison’s sake, Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter at 6-6, 310, ran a 4.88 in the 2023 combine 40.

More important than these speeds is how quickly they play the game. It’s not the same thing. It’s partly the reason the Bears probably wouldn’t get the chance to draft Rueben Bain of Miami even though everyone is afraid of his tiny arms measuring 30-7/8 inches.

He can play the game regardless, and the game film will keep him from dropping past the middle of Round 1.

Caleb Banks is gonna get a GM fired thinking he’s something he’s not. The tape was what it was. He’s not what you think he is.

— TonyThePodBoss (@TonythePodBoss) February 26, 2026Indiana Passes Stadium Bill While Chicago Tries to Shake Down BearsTrade Talk involving Tyson Bagent Should Lead Bears Only One WayWhat Trading Away Key Defensive Player Would Do to Bears’ Front LineRyan Poles’ Odd Explanation for 2025 Major Bears Injury Issue

X: BearsOnSI