Bears' Dennis Allen, Free Agent DE Cam Jordan Could be a High-Value Reunion in Chicago

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer isn't ruling out the Chicago Bears making a significant free-agent signing to address the team's biggest need.

Cameron Jordan celebrates a sack against the Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

For those Chicago Bears fans still holding out hope that the team will sign an edge rusher in free agency after passing on them in the 2026 NFL Draft, there is still a glimmer of hope

In a recent mailbag, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer was asked if he sees the team signing an edge rusher moving forward and if Cameron Jordan or Jadeveon Clowney would make sense.

Breer responded that it's "worth keeping that on your radar" and believes Jordan and Clowney would be ideal fits because they fit the prototype defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants.

"Cameron Jordan, of course, was with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in New Orleans, and might make sense as a short-term fix (he’ll be 37 in July)," Breer explained. "Similarly, Jadeveon Clowney fits the big, long, rugged type of edge player Allen favors. Seeing Odeyingbo and Booker in the spring should help inform decision-making on all of this."

Breer went on to say that the Bears getting a look at Dayo Odeyingbo and Austin Booker this spring will help with the decision one way or the other.

Why Bears need an edge rusher

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley and Chicago Bears defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Bears finished tied for the seventh-fewest sacks and the second-worst pass-rush win rate last season. They are also set to depend heavily on Dayo Odeyingbo, who is coming off a torn Achilles and posted just one sack in eight games last season.

Austin Booker could also play a significant role, and while he did show plenty of promise last season, his 4.5 sacks were a career-high and it remains to be seen if he can even do that again. Then there's Shemar Turner, who is coming back from a torn ACL.

That's a lot of question marks across from Montez Sweat at a premium position for a Bears team with Super Bowl aspirations.

The latest on Cam Jordan

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Jordan's future with the Saints is up in the air, at best.

Jordan has repeatedly said that he isn't sure if he'll be back with the Saints in 2026, and the Saints have made zero guarantees they will bring him back.

"I don't know," Jordan said about a return to the Saints after the NFL Draft. "There's nobody (the Saints acquired) who produced the way I did last year, so. My talent speaks for itself. And if things work out, phenomenal. I've always said I understand the business side to it, so I've never worried about it."

“I think that it could impact it,” Loomis said of the draft possibly determining whether or not Jordan returns. “You know, we’ll see what happens, and that goes both ways, it could impact them, from their perspective as well as ours.”

The Saints haven't done anything significant at edge rusher. They did not draft one, but they did trade for Tyree Wilson during the draft, so that might be a sign they are indeed moving on from Jordan, although Wilson is hardly an adequate replacement.

It would be weird to see Jordan playing for anyone else. That said, he would fit right in with his former defensive coordinator, Allen.

Jordan is already quite familiar with the scheme and had plenty of success in it during his time with Allen in New Orleans. While long in the tooth, Jordan posted 10.5 sacks last season, which would have led the Bears, and while he didn't have his best season defending the run, he has always been good in that area.

He's a perfect one-year stopgap for Chicago and would add some much-needed length to the Bears' edge rushers room. But price is going to matter and based on the fact that Jordan hasn't signed anywhere yet, it's safe to assume he's looking for a sizeable bag.

The latest on Jadeveon Clowney

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Clowney posted 8.5 sacks with the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, but his final total is a bit misleading because he notched 4.5 of those over the final two games, including three in a meaningless Week 18 game.

The Cowboys appear to have the belief that Clowney does not fit in the scheme of their new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, so the expectation is he won't be back.

Clowney has pushed back against that notion, saying he has proven he can fit in any scheme, and we know he has the experience playing in multiple systems.

"Ain't no scheme I can't play in, 3-4 to 4-3, to whatever down scheme that you had," Clowney said. "I think I've proved that I can play in them all, and not just play in them, but also dominate in them schemes and do my job at a high level. So like I said, it don't matter where I end up, where I play at. Just know I'm coming to show you again and prove people wrong again."

Clowney also fits the mold of the kind of edge rushers Allen likes, and he's a strong run defender, which will benefit a Bears defense that gave up the sixth-most rushing yards in 2025.

Who should the Bears sign?

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles. | David Banks-Imagn Images

If we had to choose one, we'd go with Jordan because he had better production and is a more seamless fit in Allen's defense.

Sure, it's possible Jordan hits the wall in 2026 because of his age, but that's a risk the Bears should be willing to take given the state of their edge rushers room currently.

All that said, we'd take either one at this point, but we certainly are not holding our breath for the Bears to sign anyone. Instead, we would bet Chicago will stay the course and hope Odeyingbo, Booker and Turner can turn the group around in 2026.