Chicago Bears' answer to finding depth off the edge could be solved by getting creative with the guys already on the roster

Since making that statement, the Bears went out and really only added one player off the edge in Dayo Odeyingbo to start next to Montez Sweat. Signing Odeyingbo to start showed confidence in his ability to be a breakout player when given more opportunities after he started only 19 games in four seasons with the Colts.

"If you watch the tape, you understand how disruptive he can be, both inside and outside," Poles said after signing Odeyingbo. "And I also believe, he’s 25, he’s played a few years in the league. And this goes into our collaboration and working well in terms of the front office and coaching staff, we believe that there’s even more room to grow for him to continue to get better."

Looking back on it, that was a telling response. Odeyingbo will be a player that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will look to use inside and out, which makes the lack of investments off the edge in the 2025 NFL Draft even more puzzling. Which might be the goal in all this.

With Sweat as the premier pass rusher off the edge, the other edge spot might be filled by multiple guys rotating around the front to present various looks to confuse opposing offenses. Which is where Allen can get creative with guys such as Odeyingbo, Gervon Dexter Sr., and second-round pick Shemar Turner.

All three guys have the ability to play all over the defensive-front. Last year, Dexter experienced playing on the inside and out in Chicago and has the length Allen covets in his edge rushers once he can trim down even more this summer.

The same versatility goes for Turner, which is one of the key factors that played into the team selecting him with the 62nd overall pick, along with his relentless play-style.

"He's shown a lot of versatility, and the more you can do, the better," director of player personnel Trey Koziol said about Turner. "He's got the size, strength and play temperament and anchor to play on the inside. Like I said, once he walks in the door, the coaches will have a plan for how they want to use him wherever that may be, whether it's inside or outside. I think that he's shown he can do both, which is great."

After Turner was drafted on Friday, Poles was asked specifically about why he gravitated toward guys like Dexter and Turner, two prospects coming from a two-gap scheme that can play in a variety of roles on the defensive front.

"A lot of it has to do with traits," Poles explained. "Just overall explosiveness, length, power, motor, those types of things. You can piece it together."

The other piece to this edge rusher puzzle is going to be second-year Austin Booker. In 2024, Booker played all 17 games as a rotational piece mainly off the edge. Under a new defensive coordinator, one of the things the staff has challenged Booker to accomplish this offseason is to add more weight to help set the edge better but they were excited by his overall skillset.

Between Sweat, Odeyingbo, Dexter, Turner, and Booker mixing off the edge with Grady Jarrett and Andrew Billings primarily playing on the interior, the Bears are heading into the season with a loaded defensive front already in the building to figure out how to scheme up heading into the season.