Chicago Bears urged to add 262-pound edge rusher with 11.5 sacks

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated Feb 23, 2026 4:19 PM ET

Upgrading the pass rush is going to be a top priority for general manager Ryan Poles, if the Chicago Bears have designs on repeating as NFC North champions and making a deep run at the Super Bowl in 2026, and beyond.

After all, Montez Sweat can’t do it alone, after registering a 10-sack campaign in his first season in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme.

However, given that the Bears currently sit roughly $5 million over the salary cap, prioritizing selecting an edge rusher early in the NFL Draft may be the most prudent path to rebuilding the position rather than breaking the bank at the top of the market in free agency.

Chicago Bears linked to Missouri EDGE Zion Young in latest NFL Mock Draft

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen speaks during training camp at Halas Hall. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Over at CBS Sports, NFL analyst Blake Brockermeyer just released his latest NFL mock draft projection, including linking the Bears to Missouri edge rusher Zion Young with the No. 25 overall selection.

“The Bears love size and length on the defensive line,” Brockermeyer writes. “And nobody sets the edge like Young, a disruptive presence with ideal length and pop. He offers a strong pass-rush profile as a strong-side edge, blending speed and power with an effective long arm.”

Young, 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds, certainly checks a lot of the boxes that Allen covets in defensive ends, and in an offseason that features free agent edge rushers such as Trey Hendrickson, Khalil Mack, Bradley Chubb, Arnold Ebiketie, and Boye Mafe among the top available, the former Missouri standout could conceivably slide to the Bears as other franchises look to fill other needs during the draft after dipping their toes into the free agent pass rush market.

Across his four collegiate seasons, two at Michigan State and two at Mizzou, Young logged 11.5 sacks with 130 total tackles. That kind of production, combined with his measurables and traits could make Young an ideal early-round target for Poles, Allen, and the Bears.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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