Chicago Bears training camp is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest.

We’re unveiling our Bears 2025 training camp position previews, where we’re breaking down every player by position and examining the biggest question facing the group.

We’ve gone through the offense, now it’s time to look at the defense, beginning with edge rusher. The Bears have invested heavily in their starting defensive ends with Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, but they’re fairly thin behind them. Austin Booker could be counted on to take a significant step in his development as a rotational player if the Bears don’t add another edge rusher.

Let’s take a look at the Bears’ edge rushers heading into training camp:

Montez Sweat

The Bears made Sweat their go-to pass rusher in 2023 when they acquired him via trade and signed him to a lucrative four-year extension worth $98 million. Expectations for him were high following his second-half stint in Chicago that season, but he was one of the bigger disappointments of the 2024 season. Sweat totaled 5.5 sacks, his lowest output since 2021, when he missed seven games and had 18 solo tackles, nine for loss, and two forced fumbles. While Sweat only missed one game, he was beaten up throughout the season, which affected his play. This offseason, however, Sweat has reportedly been one of the hardest-working players in the building. He appears to be determined to show last year was an abnormality and that he can be the Pro Bowl defensive end the Bears invested in.

Dayo Odeyingbo

When the Bears decided to cut DeMarcus Walker prior to free agency, it signaled they were hunting for one of the bigger names on the market at the position. Odeyingbo ended up being their marquee signing as the two sides agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $48 million. The Bears are betting on Odeyingbo’s future because his previous season doesn’t inspire the most confidence. In his first year as a starter for the Indianapolis Colts, Odeyingbo produced just three sacks, 13 solo tackles, seven for loss, and two forced fumbles. It wasn’t the worst season, but he flashed more as a rotational player. Odeyingbo will need to show he’s worth the price tag and get after the quarterback more.

Austin Booker

The Bears saw something in Austin Booker that made them trade back into the draft for him in the fifth round last year. He just didn’t make much of an impact in Year 1 as a developmental player. Booker surprised many draft analysts by not staying another year at Kansas and began his professional career as a reserve player for the Bears. Playing in all 17 games, Booker totaled 1.5 sacks, 14 solo tackles, and three tackles for loss. Booker has the raw skills to become a consistent threat at the position and showed as much throughout the preseason. With a new coaching staff showing him the ropes, perhaps Booker will elevate his game and become more of a factor behind Sweat and Odeyingbo.

Dominique Robinson

Dominique Robinson has been able to hang around the Bears for the last couple of seasons despite seeing fewer and fewer snaps. After a promising start to his rookie season in 2022, Robinson has barely made a peep. In 2024, the former fifth-round pick appeared in just six games, five less than in 2023. He had seven total tackles, with his best game coming against the Arizona Cardinals. But just when it seems Robinson’s days with the Bears are coming to an end, he manages to hang around. Robinson has already drawn the praise of head coach Ben Johnson, so he’s off to a good start. Let’s see if he can do enough to make the initial roster once again.

Daniel Hardy

One of the better underdog stories from the Bears’ preseason last year was Daniel Hardy, who worked his way up the depth chart thanks to his consistent big plays to earn a spot on the initial roster. Hardy only played a handful of snaps on defense but was heavily used on special teams. He played in all 17 games, totaling 12 tackles, and led the Bears with 370 special teams snaps, according to Windy City Gridiron’s Jacob Infante. His signature moment came right away in the season when Hardy blocked a punt from the Tennessee Titans, resulting in a scoop and score. With special teams coordinator Richard Hightower returning, Hardy should be counted on once again to play important snaps with the unit.

Xavier Carlton

The Bears scooped up one free agent defensive end following the 2025 NFL Draft, signing Xavier Carlton out of Cal. Carlton shined for the Golden Bears in 2024, producing nine sacks and 47 total tackles in 13 games. From the Golden Bears to the Chicago Bears, Carlton will attempt to replicate that success at the pro level to earn a spot in the rotation. With how thin the position is at the moment, he could have a shot to make some noise.

Jamree Kromah

Jamree Kromah is already on his second stint with the Bears despite entering his second season. As an undrafted free agent, Kromah bounced between the Bears and the New England Patriots and will look to hang around a little bit longer this time.

Big question: Will the Bears make a move for a defensive end?

It’s become somewhat of a tradition for general manager Ryan Poles to bargain shop in the summer for defensive ends. He signed Yannick Ngakoue just as training camp was getting underway in 2023 and traded a sixth-round pick for Darrell Taylor last summer. Could he bolster the group late in the offseason for a third year in a row? There are some options available should he choose to do so. Matthew Judon, whom the Bears nearly traded for last year, is still on the market, as are Za’Darius Smith and Jadeveon Clowney.

The Bears feel comfortable with Sweat and Odeyingbo as key contributors, but they could use another proven pass rusher to add to the rotation. Betting on Booker is risky, and no one else seems to be a viable, consistent option. Fans would love to see Poles somehow swing a trade for one of these unhappy superstar edge rushers, such as Trey Hendrickson, but anything like that feels like a long shot at best. The Bears could get settled into camp and see what they have to work with before making any sort of move. The market will dry up quickly, though, and they don’t want to have to be overpaying for mediocre talent.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Chicago Bears training camp preview: Defensive ends