The Chicago Bears have already had their highs and lows during the early stages of the 2025 Free Agency Frenzy.

First, the Bears lost out on a top free agent target after Khalil Mack returned to the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year deal prior to the start of the legal tampering period. Missing out on Mack was a tough blow, but it didn't slow down the front office.

Soon after the window opened, the Bears reached an agreement with center Drew Dalman on a three-year, $42 million deal, which cannot become official until the start of the new league year on Wednesday.

And that move was only the beginning of the free agent additions expected to help overhaul the trenches in Chicago.

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears found their backup plan on the defensive line and are expected to sign Dayo Odeyingbo.

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport added that the deal is expected to be a 3-year, worth $48 million with a yearly average of $16 million. Odeyingbo's deal cannot be official until the start of the new league year on Wednesday.

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The need for adding a top talent opposite Montez Sweat was evident following the 2024 season, and increased after the team decided to part ways with veteran DeMarcus Walker, who started all 17 games last season.

To fill that need, the Bears add a rising player who was among the top defensive ends on the market. Odeyingbo was expected to be a top target by the Green Bay Packers but instead the Bears pay up a steal him from their top rival.

The kicker that swung things for Chicago was the guarantees. Rapoport added that Odeyingbo will receive $32 million fully guaranteed over the first two years. Our own A to Z Green Bay expert Wendell Ferreira shared that the Packers rarely give guarantees beyond the first year signing bonus. The Bears felt comfortable doing so and land an ideal target.

Odeyingbo is the perfect complement to Montez Sweat inside of Dennis Allen's defensive scheme. Allen loves to have lengthy edge rushers and now has two in Sweat and Odeyingbo.

As a player, Odeyingbo is primed to breakout as a top pass rusher. The former Colts second-round selection has played 17 games in three consecutive seasons, totaling 16.0 sacks in that span. 

Here's what our own A to Z Indianapolis expert Destin Adams had to say about the Bears new pass rusher:

"A former second round pick Dayo Odeyingbo is well loved in the city of Indianapolis by the Colts fan base. Nicknamed “Hurricane Dayo” by a Colts scout and has shown improvement every year in the NFL. The Colts wanted him back badly but his interest across the NFL was significant and they got severely out bid… 

Odeyingbo is a high upside pass rusher who can be used off the edge and out of the interior. His brute strength makes him a mismatch for a lot of linemen and is a big reason NFL teams believe his best football is still in front of him. Fans of his new team may be wondering why their team gave him such a big contract without ever having a 10 sack season. But he has never been a full-time starter and his ability as a pass rusher is evident if you throw on his tape." – Destin Adams

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Odeyingbo's ability to line up inside and off the edge and his ability to impact the run game gives the Bears a clear and younger upgrade over Walker.

Signing Odeyingbo to a three-year deal likely rules out drafting an edge rusher with the 10th overall pick, depending on how the contract is structured. Either way addressing this need now helps open things up in the draft process.

Bears 2025 Free Agency Tracker: Keeping tabs on all the new additions plus who’s leaving, as Ryan Poles attempts to overhaul the roster in Chicago

Tracking every move made by the Bears.