Bears edge rusher will train with Maxx Crosby, Von Miller, Cam Jordan, and more as he aims to bounce back after disappointing season
Chicago Bears defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo is more motivated than ever after a disappointing first season in Chicago and will be training with some of the best pass rushers in NFL history during his summer break before training camp.
The Chicago Bears are taking a big gamble believing that better coaching and improved health will be the key to unlocking the defensive pass rush but one player that can make this gamble pull off with a bounce back year is Dayo Odeyingbo.
The Bears handed Odeyingbo a sizable three-year, $48 million contract last offseason thinking they were cashing in on a player primed for a breakout. Even before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury, Odeyingbo’s play was nowhere close to the level the Bears expected when they handed him that contract.
The injury only complicated matters even further and casted a dark cloud over his expectations for the 2026 season and the offseason leading up to it. Odeyingbo, however, showed some positive signs at the end of minicamp when he returned to the field.
“We weren’t quite sure when we started the offseason program we’d get him for any length of time. The fact that he’s on the field, he wants to be out there, it’s just another step forward in terms of him gaining confidence again in how he’s moving,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said of Odeyingbo. “He’s done a great job being attentive in meetings and so I know he was really itching to get back out there with his teammates. It’s a step in the right direction, for sure.”
With the players currently on break until training camp, Odeyingbo is continuing to showcase his added motivation to bounce back this upcoming season.
Chicago Bears DE Dayo Odeyingbo set to attend this year’s Sack Summit on July 9-11
It was announced over the weekend that Odeyingbo will be attending this year’s Sack Summit down in Las Vegas. The three-day event will be held July 9-11 and is hosted by NFL standout pass rushers Maxx Crosby, Von Miller, and Cam Jordan.
Other top pass rushers expected to attend include Rashan Gary, Josh Hines-Allen, Dexter Lawrence II, Quinnen Williams, and Travon Walker along with former NFL legends like Lawrence Taylor, Willie McGinest, and Gerald McCoy.
For more context on what this event will entail, here’s the full description from the official website of the event.
Sack Summit is an annual event that brings together the NFL’s top pass rushers in Las Vegas. Held over three days every summer, Sack Summit offers a unique chance for players from different teams to “link and learn” in a constructive environment while enjoying what the city has to offer. Participants exchange skills, knowledge, and techniques in addition to participating in on-field drills/workouts and film sessions with some of the best pass rushers in NFL history.
Sacksummit.com
Make-or-break year for Dayo Odeyingbo
The 2026 season is going to be a true make-or-break year for Odeyingbo and this latest announcement is another encouraging sign that he’s putting the effort in to be in the best possible shape and mindset going into training camp.
After this season, Odeyingbo’s contract has no more guaranteed money. Which means the Bears could easily decide to move on and save $15 million in cap space if he’s released after the season if his performance isn’t up to par again.
That extra incentive will be just as good for the Bears. Chicago’s pass rush needs some kind of internal spark with the process the team has decided to take going into this season and Odeyingbo could be the one that provides that.