Dennis Allen Is Pushing Bears Away From Edge Rusher In Free Agency — Here’s Why
After Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson prioritized the 2025 offseason towards upgrading the team’s offense, expectations are that focus will shift to Dennis Allen and the defense this year. It makes sense. While the offense finished in the top 10 in points and yards, the defense was 23rd and 29th, respectively. The Bears can’t expect to chase a Super Bowl until they build that side of the ball up to some semblance of dependability. They can’t expect to lean on turnovers like they did last season.
The obvious question is where to start. For months, the common answer to that question has been edge rusher. Outside of Montez Sweat, the Bears never really got much production from that position. Austin Booker came on late, but he feels more like an ideal rotational guy. They need somebody who can log serious snaps and create consistent pressure. However, Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron is hearing that Allen might be pushing for something different, and arguably more important.
I think the Bears want to add multiple new pieces to the defensive line, but one significant piece up front. Trey Hendrickson and Maxx Crosby are, of course, the two biggest names that people have been discussing, but I think if the Bears find themselves a 3-Tech that they love and can bring in, they would beef up the interior and not worry about spending big at edge.
Dennis Allen wanting an interior pass rusher is no surprise.
His best defenses in New Orleans featured a prominent player in that role. David Onyemata and Sheldon Rankins were the two names who stood out in those years. The Bears don’t really have anybody like that. Gervon Dexter did have six sacks this past season, but his problem has always been consistency. Though his sack total is solid, his pass-rush win rate was only 12.4%, which ranked 18th in the NFL. It isn’t a coincidence that all four teams in the conference championship games had at least one such player in the top 10.
Knowing this, a look at the top options in 2026 free agency becomes an interesting discussion.
| Player | 2025 Team | 2025 PFF Grade | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Franklin-Myers | Denver Broncos | 73.7 | 95 pressures in 2025 |
| David Onyemata | Atlanta Falcons | 81.8 | 8th among all IDL |
| Calais Campbell | Arizona Cardinals | 84.4 | 15% Pass-Rush Win Rate |
| Christian Wilkins | N/A (Free Agent) | 74.7* | 9 sacks, 58 pressures in last full season |
| DaQuan Jones | Buffalo Bills | 75.6 | 9.3% Pass-Rush Win Rate |
| DJ Reader | Detroit Lions | 76.3 | Career grade never below 60.0 |
Based on recent productivity, Franklin-Myers is the obvious choice. He was a menace in Denver the past two seasons. Set to turn 30 this year, projections have him commanding around $8 million per year in his next contract. That isn’t terrible, but the Bears would have to find the cap space. They’re also likely to have stiff competition for him. Onyemata and Campbell are even older, making them less likely. The real wild card of the bunch is Wilkins.
Wilkins would be a calculated gamble for the Bears.
The defensive tackle emerged as a dominant force in 2023 with 9 sacks. However, he suffered a Jones fracture in his foot five games into his first season with the Raiders. That necessitated surgery. Where it gets murky are reports that the team demanded he get a second surgery to correct some perceived lingering issues so he could return faster. Wilkins refused. As a result, the team cut him and attempted to void the guarantees in his contract, leading to a prolonged legal battle. The defensive tackle did not play in 2025.
His status remains a mystery. It’s safe to assume his injury is healed by now. The question is whether he’s ready to return to action. There are whispers about him being somewhat of a unique character who rubs some teammates the wrong way, but that doesn’t seem like something Dennis Allen would worry about. He’s no stranger to guys like that. Wilkins won’t be expensive to acquire. It will be about whether the long layoff from action has impacted his ability.
If Franklin-Myers is off the table, this might be the lone free agent who could have a genuine impact.