How Chicago Bears can best bolster their edge rush in two ways

Another face popped up this week on the potential defensive end list for the Bears heading toward training camp.

Suffice to say, not much excitement was generated by the Cleveland Browns releasing Ogbo Okoronkwo. At one time this might have led to greater general interest.

Okoronkwo won a ring with the Rams in 2021 when he got on the field for 255 defensive snaps, and he made two sacks.

After that with Houston and Cleveland his participation ramped up but his production lagged behind and he has a history of injuries.

He did make 12 1/2 sacks over the last three seasons, five coming in 2022 with Houston when he had a career-high 519 plays. As important as sacks are pressures and he had double digits for pressures only in 2022 (17) and 2022 (12).

The Bears definitely don't need to be in touch with this 30-year-old but it doesn't mean adding a veteran edge would be a negative.

They did it last year just before camp and it was with two players in the same class as Okoronkwo—Darrell Taylor and Jake Martin. Both had three sacks and didn't prove to be big at pressuring.

At one point, bringing in players who took up reps and made a few sacks made a lot of sense.

Things change from year to year and the Bears' needs from a player like this are also different.

With four younger edge rushers on the roster in Dayo Odeyingbo, Dominique Robinson, Austin Booker and Daniel Hardy, they could definitely benefit from a mentor as well as someone who kicks in reps and pressures. They didn't need this so much with DeMarcus Walker on the roster, but there's someone available who can kick this up a level and provide heat on QBs.

This would be Von Miller. Miller this week is helping host the "Sack Summit," an edge rusher convention in Las Vegas much like the one offensive linemen and tight ends have in offseasons.

The 36-year-old Miller told The Associated Press' Arnie Melendrez Stapleton four weeks ago when teams were in OTAs that he plans to sign somewhere this year and also wants to play in 2026, but he remains unsigned.

He had a humorous look at OTAs, long a pain in the backside to most veteran players.

"Whenever you have all this time, you reminisce and you think back about all these OTAs and these summer training sessions where you’re like, ‘Man, why I gotta be here? Why I gotta be here? OTAs, why I gotta do this?,' " he told Stapleton. "And now you’re sitting at home like, ‘Man, I wish I was at OTAs right now.’ ”

Miller summed up what he brings to a team willing to add someone who had 16 pressures and six sacks last season for only 279 reps—more sacks than anyone had on the Bears even for twice as many reps.

“I’m a locker-room guy through and through, and I can still roll out of the bed and rush the passer,” Miller said. “That’s what I got.”

Even 28-year-old Montez Sweat might be able to learn some from an edge rusher with a ring from Denver, let alone the other young edge rushers.

The Bears seem to be understanding the value of mentoring more now by adding Case Keenum on offense to help in an extremely inexperienced quarterback room, Joe Thuney and his four rings on the offensive line and Grady Jarrett with the defensive tackles.

No doubt the young edge players would also gain from being around a third or fourth pass rusher who owns 129 1/2 career sacks.

The problem is what it always is in these situations and that's cash. Miller had a ridiculous six-year $120 million contract with Buffalo that counted over $12 million last year before his release.

If they found he'd play for much less while bringing along young defensive ends and sacking the QB, it would be worth an investment.