The Chicago Bears defense may be facing a costly setback. Defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo, who signed a three-year, $45 million deal with Chicago this past offseason, was seen leaving the locker room on crutches with a large brace on his ankle following Sunday’s stunning win over the Cincinnati Bengals. While official word on the injury is pending, early indications point toward a multi-week absence — a troubling development for a player who has already underperformed relative to his contract.
Odeyingbo’s time in Chicago has been nothing short of disappointing. Signed to be a disruptive force along the defensive line, he’s instead produced a string of underwhelming performances. Through eight games, he’s failed to consistently generate pressure. For a player earning $15 million annually, the lack of impact has quickly become a concern — and now, that concern is paired with injury uncertainty.
This all comes at a critical time for the Bears, who are already rumored to be aggressive ahead of the trade deadline. Reports surfaced before Sunday’s win that GM Ryan Poles was exploring moves to boost the roster. That was before the team pulled off a wild win against Cincinnati, putting Chicago back into the playoff conversation.
The urgency is only growing. The 2025 NFL trade deadline is on Tuesday, November 4th. With Odeyingbo’s injury and lackluster play now factoring in, defensive line reinforcements could jump to the top of Poles priority list.
