Bear Digest

Should Bears pursue Micah Parsons or merely look the other way?

Analysis: The Bears could use some edge rush help even if Austin Booker's knee injury isn't an issue but do they need to involve themselves in the silly Jerry Jones soap opera?
Gene Chamberlain|
Micah Parsons returns a fumble for a TD against the Bears in 2022. Parsons is Dallas' problem right now, not one the Bears should make theirs.
Micah Parsons returns a fumble for a TD against the Bears in 2022. Parsons is Dallas' problem right now, not one the Bears should make theirs. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Micah Parsons and Jerry Jones show in Dallas has become must-see for Bears fans and anyone else in the NFL.

That is, only for entertainment value. Bears fans really need to look the other way and ignore it.

Normally Bears fans love to connect Parsons to the Bears on social media and it makes far more sense to be interested in a young player who hasn't even reached his second contract than paying a $40 million a year extension for a 30-something player like Trey Hendrickson .

There has been no reported connection to the Bears or anyone else for a trade and ultimately Jones still has the right to tag Parsons for two more years.

Parsons is running around saying any team he can think of is his ideal place to go, as long as it isn't Dallas. He put "TBD" on social media Friday as his current team, although he is under contract.

Any NFL player who would sit out those tag seasons or play with half-hearted efforts for a team he doesn't want to be a part of wouldn't be worth trading for, so in the end Jones really does hold all the cards here. Parsons obviously isn't a free agent yet and if Jones desires, he won't be for two years.

With the condition of defensive end Austin Booker's knee injury not reported as serious, it's questionable whether the Bears ever would be involved in pursuing another edge rusher who would cost a great deal of draft capital to pursue.

Unlike teams like Detroit or Green Bay, the Bears have virtually nothing left to spend this year. The Bears have about $13 million left in cap space and that's enough to sign a player or two who might help. However, their salary structure is decided for this year. With $13 million available, they're not taking on the contract of a player who is making $24 million this year before his extension.

The Bears are already spending the ninth most in the league at edge rusher, $46.8 million. If they had the cap ability to take on Parsons' contract it would immediately push them up above San Francisco to No. 1 for cap edge spending at $70 million and for 2026 with an extension it would vault them well beyond the highest level of edge spending.

A team that is setting up to pay its quarterback in 2027 is not helping its chances of doing it by adding another edge rusher in the top 10 in pay.

The Bears are already over the cap for 2026 by $10.3 million according to Overthcap.com and something ridiculous like $40 million more for an edge makes no sense.

There is also somewhat of a question of scheme fit. Parsons is 245 pounds and Dennis Allen's scheme requires edge rushers in the range of 260-290 pounds to hold down edges besides rushing the passer. They're not usually selling out to get around the tackle’s outside except against immobile passers in long yardage situations.

Booker has the same weight as Parsons but is perceived as a true edge and younger player who is adding weight and muscle like Dominique Robinson has done.  


At 26, Parsons is at his NFL playing weight. Although, it must be pointed out Allen loves to blitz and easily could adjust his scheme to move Parsons all over the formation as a blitzer besides being an edge rusher at times.

Regardless of the lack of fit or Bears' lack of cap space, Parsons' departure is not imminent and the season is approaching.

The Bears could use an extra pass rusher to help on some downs, but not necessarily as a starter. That's why they signed Dayo Odeyingbo.

If Booker really has ascended as his four sacks of preseason suggest, then their need is only for depth and for someone to take up a few reps a game spelling Montez Sweat or Odeyingbo.

It's already the final preseason game and no time for the Bears to drastically alter the makeup of the defense on the line, only tweak it a bit with another player who could provide relief.

Besides, if this standoff continues the way it has, they could always pursue Parsons in the future after he plays a season on a tag.

The only time the Bears should see Parsons is in Week 3 at Soldier Field, that is, if he isn't holding out to start the 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.