Skip to main content

Chicago Bears NFL Draft 2020: Edge Rushers

When Khalil Mack tore it up in his first Bears season with 12 1/2 sacks in 14 games, the team had 20 1/2 sacks from its edge players.

It seemed like a big step up for the defense, yet they had just as many sacks from their edge players in the 3-4 when John Fox was in his first year of coaching the Bears, 2015. They just lacked the one terrifying pass rusher while getting heat from three players.

The pressure was just more consistent in 2018 as the Bears also had a better interior pass rush in 2018.

Last year the Bears had 13 1/2 sacks from their five edge players. Naturally it led to the signing of Robert Quinn and Leonard Floyd's departure.

"It’s obviously a position we value," Bears GM Ryan Pace said. "One of the first things that comes to mind as you strengthen your team is your pass rush affecting the opposing quarterback. 

"We just feel like Quinn’s a proven pass rusher. He’s got excellent edge speed. He’s got outstanding ability to bend the corner and I think we can take a position of strength on our defense and we make it even stronger and more dangerous when you add Quinn and you combine him with the players that are already up there, especially up front."

So they should have the ideal situation, now. Or at least, they're close to it.

"I just think it makes it really hard to defend on defense when it’s hard to double one guy because you got multiple guys coming at you, especially when you throw in Akiem Hicks to that mix as well.”

The problem is, those two players don't go the entire game. They're rotated to stay fresh. In two years, Aaron Lynch played 34% of the snaps and 23% as the third edge rusher. The 34% is high end, the Bears would like to think. It was because Mack had an ankle sprain that took him out of two games and rendered him below par in two others.

Lynch was a free agent who they didn't sign, so to keep the idea of two support the idea of two players providing pass rush they would need the third player to prevent double-teaming then.

The idea for the Bears now is for the Bears to get their total sack numbers up from edge players. It's possible they could find one later in the draft. 

Several web sites tracking player contacts have listed Bradlee Anae of Utah as a player of interest for the Bears, with multiple contacts. 

Anae is the son of former USFL player Brad Anae and blossomed last year at Utah with 13 sacks in 12 games, after making 16 1/2 his first three years. The 6-foot-3, 265-pounder also was active against the run with 14 tackles for loss each of his last two seasons.

For a team with needs in the secondary, the Bears spent plenty of time getting to know pass rushers early in the offseason.

Florida's Jonathan Greenard, Penn State's Yetur Gross-Matos, LSU's K'Lavon Chaisson, Jabari Zuniga of Florida were all players who either reported or were reported to have had contact with the Bears but all of these were old discussions.

These occurred before the move to cut Leonard Floyd and bring in Robert Quinn.

Boise State's Curtis Weaver, who had 34 career sacks, was reported by Bearreport.com to have had a workout with the Bears before the coronavirus.

Bears NFL Draft 2020: Edge Players

Outside Linebackers Room: Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn, Isaiah Irving, James Vaughters.

Sports Illustrated's Top of the Line: Chase Young, Ohio State; K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU; A.J. Epenesa, Iowa; Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; Terrell Lewis, Alabama.

Need Level: Medium (depth)

Possibles: Bradlee Anae, Utah; Curtis Weaver, Boise State; Kenny Willekes, Michigan State; Trevis Gipson, Tulsa; Anfernee Jennings, Alabama; Derrek Tuszka, North Dakota State.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven