Ryan Poles Eyeing Prominent Bears Villain To Help Pass Rush
Unsurprisingly, the Chicago Bears didn’t take a big swing on the edge rusher market. While that might disappoint a lot of fans, it doesn’t mean GM Ryan Poles is ignoring the problem. The Bears have every intention of finding help. As always, it’s about doing so responsibly. After some tense waiting, the team seems ready to start exploring. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that Chicago plans to meet with veteran D.J. Wonnum later this week. He was a former 4th round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2020, working his way into a prominent role that saw him collect 23 sacks over the last four seasons. Nine of them came against the Bears.
That includes eight sacks in 2021 and eight more in 2023. He has ten quarterback hits in each of the past three years. Wonnum is an obvious Poles target because of his age (26) and dimensions. The defensive end is 6’5, 258 lbs, and has 34-inch arms. Chicago places great emphasis on size and length in their linemen. Wonnum is a productive pass rusher and doesn’t shirk his duties against the run. While nobody would confuse him for a star like former teammate Danielle Hunter, he’s proven to be a capable wingman. He can do the same across from Montez Sweat.
Ryan Poles likely wants a cost-effective second option.
People need to remember that the Bears had already paid a ton of money to Sweat when he arrived. He was their big swing on the veteran market. Now they must find somebody who can produce on the other side who isn’t going to break the bank. There are two ways to do that. Either draft somebody or sign a veteran who won’t command a huge deal. Wonnum falls into the latter category. Projections from salary cap experts say he should require a contract at around $6 million per year. That is something Chicago can easily afford.
Yet the thing to always keep in mind is Ryan Poles will never get into bidding wars. He feels that is a fast track to getting your roster in serious trouble. Heavy spending in free agency may help you for a year or two, but it always ends up hurting in the long run. He wants to use the market to fortify depth and plug needs. That will allow him to use the draft to shoot for the blue-chip talent. Wonnum might not be the huge name everybody wants, but he’s a good player who would make this team better.