2025 NFL free agency: Instant analysis of Bears adding DE Dayo Odeyingbo

Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles continues to address the trenches in free agency, this time turning to the defensive side with an ascending, young pass rusher.

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Just a few hours after a splashy move to kick off free agency, Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles is back at it, this time agreeing to terms with former Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo to a 3-year, $48 million contract. According to NFL insider Ian Rappaport, the deal includes $32 million of guaranteed money.

The second-round pick from 2021 started his career slowly but has since become a solid player who's improving. He registered eight sacks in 2023 and eight tackles for no gain or a loss in 2024, both career highs for Odeyingbo. While this is not quite the splash signing that some may have hoped to see for the defensive line, it represents a notable improvement for Chicago at a position of need.

Montez Sweat needs help, and that's what Odeyingbo brings to the table

After an excellent 2023 season that saw him earn his first Pro Bowl nod, Montez Sweat took a bit of a step back in 2024, racking up just 5.5 sacks in 17 games. But a lot of that comes down to having very little help along the defensive line, especially once Andrew Billings was lost for the season with a pec injury.

Bringing in Odeyingbo on a reasonable deal is a good first step to addressing these deficiences on the defensive line. A lot more work still needs to be done, but Sweat has to be happy about his new running mate on the line.

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