Chicago Bears encouraged to pursue ascending pass rusher in 2025 free agency

The Chicago Bears will be one of the richest teams in NFL free agency this year, and an ascending pass rusher could be in their sights.

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There are a few undeniable need areas on the Chicago Bears roster that must be addressed in 2025 free agency and the NFL Draft. The offensive line tops the list, but not far behind is the pass rush, where the Bears lack a consistent edge defender who can complement Montez Sweat.

As a result, general manager Ryan Poles is expected to focus some of his incredible salary cap space on a pass rusher, and in a recent prediction of the Bears' offseason plan from Bleacher Report, New York Giants edge defender Azeez Ojulari could rank high on his list of targets.

"Chicago's defense ranked 13th in points allowed but was only 27th overall in 2024," wrote Kristopher Knox. "Targeting a young, high-end pass-rusher like Azeez Ojulari of the New York Giants would be sensible.

"Ojulari, the sixth-ranked free agent on the B/R board, would be a fine long-term complement to 2023 trade acquisition Montez Sweat on the edge in Chicago. Ojulari recorded six sacks in 11 games with five starts for the Giants in 2024, and he won't turn 25 until June."

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Azeez Olujari has the juice the Bears' defense is lacking

Ojulari hasn't had the kind of sack numbers that scream high-end pass rusher, but it's not entirely his fault. His four years in the league have been spent on a Giants team that's usually been behind on the scoreboard for most of his career games. -- translation, fewer pass-rush opportunities.

Ojulari had the best season of his career as a rookie when he appeared in all 17 games (13 starts). He finished 2021 with eight sacks, which remains his career high. His six sacks in just 11 games last year showed how much upside he has as a pass rusher, but his lack of availability will be a concern in free agency.

Ojulari hasn't played more than 11 games in any of the last three seasons. He ended the 2024 season on injured reserve with a toe injury.

Teams that jockey for Ojulari's services this offseason will be betting on upside over production, and the Bears should be very much in that mix. The contract numbers will be inflated a bit, but considering Ojulari's injury history and pedestrian production, his final cost could end up being a steal -- if he reaches his full potential.

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