Bear Digest

Top Edge Rushers for Chicago Bears to Scout During Senior Bowl Week

Contrary to the belief of social media belly-achers, the Bears did have good edge rushers but simply didn't have enough, and this week's Senior Bowl can help remedy this.
Gene Chamberlain|
Fighting Illini edge player Gabe Jacas celebrates his sack of Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis. Jacas is among the edge players at the Senior Bowl this week.
Fighting Illini edge player Gabe Jacas celebrates his sack of Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis. Jacas is among the edge players at the Senior Bowl this week. | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

During his assessment of the Bears after they beat Green Bay in the NFL's wild card round, Bears coach Ben Johnson expressed appreciation for Montez Sweat's pass rush.  

"When you're watching from the sideline and you're feeling him affecting the quarterback, a different type of way I do think that's really important," Johnson said. "He’s stepped up, I’ve felt like that since the bye week. He's playing really good in the running game that gets overlooked, but also in the passing game. I felt him get after the quarterback a little bit more.

"When you combine that with a guy like (Austin) Booker on the other side who I  think continues to ascend, I think it gives us a pretty good chance.”

The two went hand in hand. As Booker improved with experience, Sweat's rush produced more results. With Sweat getting more heat, opportunities or pressure by Booker grew. Sometimes it came with a sack, other times with a fine.

In his last 15 games after the bye week, including the playoffs, Sweat had 10 sacks and 28 pressure. These are real pressures from Pro Football Reference's advanced metrics rather than Pro Football Focus pressures given for batting an eyelash at the QB. Booker didn't start playing until the win over Cincinnati No. 2 due to injury, and in his 10 games he made 5 1/2 sacks and 20 pressures.

The problem isn't the Bears don't have good pass rushers at  defensive end. Booker played 80.3% of the defensive snaps when he was healthy enough to play. Sweat played a career-high 73% of all Bears defensive snaps, more than 200 snaps more than Booker.

That's too many plays chasing QBs over 17 games.

TOP DEFENSIVE TACKLE PROSPECTS FOR BEARS TO SCOUT AT SENIOR BOWL

Besides the fact the Bears didn't get a consistent enough push inside, their other problem was they just didn't have enough quality players on the edge to help. Shemar Turner barely touched the surface before his season-ending injury while Dayo Odeyingbo was a disappointment before his.

The other issue is the skill set needed for the  scheme. Booker is undersized for this scheme, which puts constant pressure on edges to remain stout while maintaining rush lanes. Allen has said as much. Allen needs bigger ends to pull this scheme off. Cameron Jordan was his top end in New Orleans and is 6-4, 287.

At the Senior Bowl this week, they'll find this is a problem pinpointing bigger pass rushers who are also stout run defenders. The best pass rushers are not going to be there but there are talented ones based on analysts' observations. Here are those they can observe in their quest for the tough-to-find all-purpose ends.

LT Overton, Alabama

The 6-foot-2 1/2, 278-pounder lacks ideal height but has the run defender/pass rush value the Bears could make work. He made seven career sacks and 12 tackles for loss, four sacks and six TFLs in his final season. NFL Mock Draft Data Base has him going in Round 2, so this would allow them to focus their first round on defensive tackle, safety or running back. Also, Overton is versatile enough and big enough to line up inside, as well.

T.J. Parker, Clemson

The No. 7 edge in this draft according to Matt Miller of ESPN's draft crew. He is in the Bears' size range at 6-3, 263, and had outstanding college pass rush production both in the run and pass game, with 21 1/2 sacks and 41 1/2 tackles for loss. In 2024, Parker had his most playing time during a career only three seasons long and he led the nation with six forced fumbles. Thomas Martinez of OnSI's College Football HQ points out the all-around skill set in his assessment.

"As a pass rusher Parker displays multiple abilities to bull rush, two  hand swipe and dip around corners," Martinez wrote. "He also shows rush lane discipline and will hold his lane to prevent the quarterback from scrambling and escaping."

Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State

He's not quite at the level of some recent Penn State edge rushers who came into the league but has that potential with perfect size at 6-5 1/2, 268. Miller rates him eighth best edge. Mock Draft Data Base calls him a third-round pick. The numbers were there with 23 1/2 career sacks, including 8 1/2 each of the last two years. He also made 34 1/2 career tackles for loss and seven forced fumbles.

Romello Height, Texas Tech

He is the exact opposite of a Bears prototype edge. He is 6-2 3/4 and only 234 pounds. He'll rate among the better pass rushers in this week's work because of 16 1/2 career sacks an 16 1/2 TFLs but his playing style says 3-4 edge and not Bears scheme at all.

Zion Young, Missouri

ESPN analysis puts this transfer from Michigan State among the top 10 in this class of edges after 11 1/2 career sacks, 28 1/2 TFLs, five knocked down passes and three forced fumbles. At 6-3, 263, he falls in the 260-285 size range ideal for the Allen scheme.

Gabe Jacas, Illinois

Somewhat lightly regarded by scouts to date, that could change as he gets more exposure after 27 tackles for loss in his final two seasons and 36 in his career. He had 27 career sacks, 19 in the last two years, and comes in at 6-3, 260. So, there won't be a problem with prototype size. PFF had him graded 36th out of 855 edges as a pass rusher last season.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.