For all the attention paid to the Chicago Bears’ needs along their offensive line, their defensive line should be just as much of a priority for the 2025 season.
The Bears have a few building blocks in place for their defensive trenches between defensive end Montez Sweat and budding star defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr., but they could still stand to add another few starter-quality defensive linemen, especially off the edge opposite the line from Sweat.
Fortunately for Chicago, a solution could emerge from the forthcoming wave of veteran roster cuts that will help teams get salary-cap compliant by March 12.
Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa (97) sacks Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15).
Jayne Kamin/Oncea-Imagn
The Los Angeles Chargers are in the process of deciding how to move forward with five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa to reconcile his exorbitant 2025 cap charge of roughly $36.47 million for the final season of his contract.
The Chargers could always work out an extension with Bosa that would lower his cap number, but ESPN’s Dan Graziano has reported the “likely outcome” is the team will cut Bosa to save about $25.36 million against the cap in 2025.
If they do, Bosa would become a free agent and could sign a new — more affordable — contract immediately. And The 33rd Team’s Tyler Brooke thinks that would make the 29-year-old pass rusher a “top target” for the Bears.
“Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles can use their draft capital to keep surrounding Caleb Williams with talent on offense while using some of their nearly [$80] million in cap space to add to the trenches,” Brooke wrote.
“Bosa should be a top target if he becomes available as a proven pass rusher who won’t break the bank, giving the Bears some long-term flexibility at EDGE while still getting after quarterbacks in 2025.”
Bosa had five sacks and 13 quarterback hits in 14 games for the Chargers last season, but the Bears would have questions about his price and health.
Bosa has missed at least one game in each of the past five seasons because of injuries and has only made 18 starts since the beginning of 2022. There’s a price point where it makes sense for Chicago to take a risk on his availability, but it isn’t their most promising solution with other free agents due to hit the market.
Then again, the Bears took a chance on safety Kevin Byard III when the Philadelphia Eagles released him last offseason. Even if they find Bosa does not make enough sense for them, they could at least explore it if he is released.
