Chicago Bears Have The 5th-Biggest Roster Hole Among NFL Teams

The Chicago Bears did quality work throughout the 2023 off-season. GM Ryan Poles deserves credit for maximizing his resources and spreading them across as much of the roster as possible. He revamped most of the offense, adding two new offensive linemen and a #1 wide receiver in D.J. Moore. He improved the depth at defensive tackle, linebacker, and cornerback as well. It is hard to argue the team is younger and more athletic than it has been in years. Yet Poles isn't under any illusions.

He stated multiple times in previous months that there was no way he was going to be able to fix every position on the roster. There weren't enough resources despite his best efforts. That is the reality of rebuilds. It typically takes three full off-seasons before a team can get to a point where they have talent everywhere. So nobody should be surprised when the Bears made NFL.com's list of teams with one of the biggest roster holes in the league. Kevin Patra placed them fifth, and it's probably not hard to guess the reason.

"General manager Ryan Poles has revamped almost the entire roster in his first two years on the job, but top-shelf pass-rushing options remain scant. The Bears' current rotation includes DeMarcus Walker, Dominique Robinson, Trevis Gipson and Rasheem Green. Walker generated seven sacks last season in Tennessee. None of the rest hit the four-sack mark. Chicago recorded a league-worst 20 sacks a season ago -- safety Jaquan Brisker led the way with four. Poles and coach Matt Eberflus haven't prioritized the rush, but it would make life much easier on the back end if the Bears had a player who could win off the snap and command an offense's attention up front."

The Chicago Bears aren't ignorant of the issue.

Both Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus have noted the team is looking for options at defensive end. The problem is there aren't many available. Those that are will be too old, too injury-prone, or too expensive to acquire. They might be waiting to see if prices drop a little further with training camp approaching. Still, the odds of the Bears landing a true difference-maker are remote. The best they can hope for is another guy that can maybe give them six to eight sacks this season.

DeMarcus Walker had the most of any player on this roster last season with seven. Combined with the lack of a true interior pass rush presence as well, it's easy to understand why people aren't ready to buy into the Chicago Bears' defense. This is a passing league. If you can't get to the quarterback, it's hard to win games. Maybe somebody will step up. Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson both have the capability to do so. Either way, it's obvious pass rusher will top the needs list going into 2024.