The 4 Most Logical Options For the Bears After Missing Out on Maxx Crosby

Welp, that was a lot of fun while it lasted. Maxx Crosby is headed to the Ravens, who shipped two first-round picks for the five-time Pro Bowler this afternoon.

Honest question.. Whose time playing for the Chicago Bears was more iconic: Maxx Crosby in the 2026 offseason or Russell Wilson in the 2021 offseason? There was an incredible amount of suspicion surrounding the future of both players, and it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the next step of their career was going to come courtesy of O'Hare.

The Bears were all but certain to move heaven and earth (and a package including but not limited to Akiem Hicks and Kyle Fuller) for Wilson five years ago. Then the Broncos pulled off a move that I was relieved the Bears weren't willing to, and they landed him instead.

I honestly have similar feelings about the Crosby trade. Two first-round picks when one of them is pick 14 (in a loaded edge class) is not worth the gamble for an aging edge rusher coming off meniscus surgery. Even one as dominant as Crosby.

I was pretty much out on that trade when I heard the compensation they were looking to receive (although I really hoped those were just fake reports to drive up his price). Also, for them to receive that offer from the Ravens, who are picking 11 spots earlier than the Bears in the first round, I imagine Chicago would've had to give up one of their seconds this year, too.

I also don't think the ship has sailed on drastically improving their pass rush this season. There are still a few great options for them to consider.

Sign Trey Hendrickson

I just can't imagine a world where the Bears made all this cap space over the past few days (although they probably weren't pining for a Drew Dalman retirement announcement) and they don't capitalize with a big free agent pickup. I thought it could've been them gearing up for Tyler Linderbaum.. then they went bargain hunting for Garrett Bradbury.

The release of LB Tremaine Edmunds leaves behind $2.4M of dead cap to the #Bears, clearing $15M of space.

Chicago now boasts an estimated $32M of Top 51 cap space heading toward the league year.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 6, 2026

They went from one of the league's worst cap situations to one of the best practically overnight, and they're now in a position to make a big swing if they want to.

Targeting Trey Hendrickson would make a lot of sense if they want to swing big for the top edge rusher on the market. They have enough cap space to back up the Brinks truck right now, and they haven't even begun the process of restructuring contracts to create more space yet.

The four-time Pro Bowler will have a massive market, but there is no reason to think that the Bears can't make a competitive offer. It's really not all that far-fetched, either. Dennis Allen was the Saints' defensive coordinator when they drafted Hendrickson in 2017. He probably knows the defense like the back of his hand.

As long as they don't sign him beyond three years (because that would put themselves in a difficult situation with Caleb Williams impending extension), he would make a lot of sense for the Bears. A three-year deal (probably around $35 million per year) that they can get out of after two years would be an elite consolation prize for Chicago.

Sign Cameron Jordan

Speaking of familiarity, Cameron Jordan played under Dennis Allen in New Orleans for ten years! He would also make a lot of sense for the Bears if they don't want to take a massive swing at the edge.

On the bright side, Jordan would be significantly cheaper than Hendrickson. He might not offer nearly as high a ceiling, but he still proved that he has plenty left in the tank last season. In fact, he had one of the more productive seasons of his career, finishing the year with 10.5 sacks and 15 TFLs.

Austin Booker is a solid player who can more than hold his own as a situational rusher. A Hendrickson would be really nice, just like a Crosby would've been. However, they really just need to be better at creating waves of pass rush to get to opposing QBs (like Seattle did this year and Philly did in both 2024 and 2018).

Jordan might upset some of the fanbase, but the move would make a lot of sense. As long as they don't overpay in relation to the market (a deal that pays him around $8 to $10 million per year would be ideal), I think they could do a lot worse. That deal would honestly be worth it for his leadership alone.. albeit that's kind of the angle they're already going for with Grady Jarrett.

Sign Khalil Mack

Khalil Mack is another player who obviously has emotional value to Bears fans. With that said, removing emotions from the equation (or trying to, at least.. because I still love Khalil Mack), he also makes a ton of sense from a football perspective.

Much like Jordan, the Bears wouldn't have to break the bank to bring Mack in. He will probably sign for $9 to $11 million per year. He would be well worth the price of admission at that type of value.

Mack might not be the dominant bowling ball of a pass-rusher that he once was, but he still brings more than enough juice to get to the quarterback. 5.5 sacks in 12 games last season might not jump off the screen (although four forced fumbles in that span certainly does), but even that would've ranked third on the Bears last season. They wouldn't be getting a world beater at this stage of his career, but they wouldn't be paying for one, either. Notably, he's a better run defender right now than he's ever been.

They'd be paying for someone to provide intermittent waves of pass-rush and elite veteran leadership. Mack is certainly capable of that.

Draft an edge rusher in the first two rounds

Ryan Poles said he likes the depth at edge rusher more than he does the interior defensive line in the 2026 NFL Draft at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. That could mean that he likes their chances of landing an impact player on the edge at 25, or it could mean that he thinks they can find one later on in the draft.

The main takeaway from that statement was that they will probably be looking to add to the edge in the draft. At this point, if they don't land Jordan, Mack, or Hendrickson, then I hope they prioritize adding to the room with one of their first three picks (25, 57, and 60).

Maybe they can find an edge rusher that provides an impact beyond the second round, but I hope they don't test their luck this season. Yes, the draft might feature a wealth of talent on the edge, but that doesn't mean that the well won't empty at some point.

I think there's a good chance that there are a few impact edge rushers still on the board late in the second round. I trust their process, but I'm far less convinced that will be the case when they're on the clock at pick 89.