Is Tremaine Edmunds Overrated? NFL Exec Argues It's The Opposite

The Chicago Bears did plenty of work on defense this offseason. They added three new defensive linemen and bolstered their depth at cornerbacks. However, they were surprisingly quiet at linebacker. The only notable addition was Ruben Hyppolite in the 4th round. That was a clear sign that new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen liked the setup already in place between Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. This has confused many Bears fans who feel Edmunds isn't nearly the player he was paid to be.

Chicago signed the former Pro Bowler to a contract worth $18 million per year. It felt expensive at the time. Since then, his play hasn't drawn much praise, even though his production has been solid. He has over 200 tackles, a sack, five interceptions, and two forced fumbles. Yet people believe he is overrated. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog asked an executive from another team about it. While he agreed Edmunds might be overpaid, people don't recognize his true value because the Bears haven't been able to exploit it.

I don't get Tremaine Edmunds. Am I wrong? "What don't you get? Is he overpaid? Probably. But the Bears weren't getting him if they didn't overpay. What's odd about Edmunds is he's a perfect complement to a great pass rush and he hasn't had that in Buffalo or Chicago. You force quarterbacks into some quick throws over the middle and he'll be a five-pick guy."

Tremaine Edmunds has done the best with what he's been given.

One constant source of frustration for Bears fans has been their inability to rev up the pass rush. It was why GM Ryan Poles traded for Montez Sweat in 2023. Unfortunately, that hasn't been enough. Chicago had 30 sacks that season and 40 last year. For context, the NFL leader had 63. Their inability to consistently pressure the quarterback made life harder for Tremaine Edmunds. Even so, he still managed to remain productive. It is hoped this year will be different. The Bears added Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett in free agency. Together with Shemar Turner and, hopefully, a second-year jump from Austin Booker, they can finally put some serious heat on teams. If so, it sounds like Edmunds will take full advantage.