There’s nothing the Chicago Bears would love more than to hurt their division rival, the Detroit Lions, while also beefing up their own roster.
That scenario played out in a recent article from Pro Football and Sports Network’s Sterling Xie, who predicted the Bears would sign veteran edge rusher and Lions free agent Za’Darius Smith in the wake of the 2025 NFL draft.
“The Bears have a solid starting group on the defensive line, thanks to free agent additions Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo and second-rounder Shemar Turner,” Xie wrote. “However, the depth is a little thin, particularly on the edge behind Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat.
“Adding Smith could not only control the snap counts of the starters but also allow defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to get creative with his pass rush packages.”
Smith was cut earlier this offseason by the Lions after general manager Brad Holmes admitted the team couldn’t afford him. However, Detroit hasn’t closed the door on a reunion, and quite frankly the team needs it after failing to adequately address the edge rusher group this offseason.
The Bears did a good job beefing up their edge group with the signing of Dayo Odeyingbo, but as Xie points out, more depth is needed. Smith is coming off a campaign in which he tallied nine sacks and he offers inside/outside versatility, although he does his best work on the edge.
Adding Smith would give the Bears quite the formidable trio upfront when you also include Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat.
Smith was set to make a little over $11 million with the Lions in 2025, so he’ll likely be looking for around that amount on the open market. The Bears have $10.5 million in cap space, so with a little creativity, general manager Ryan Poles can make it work.
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