Getty Bears general manager Ryan Poles, left, and head coach Matt Eberflus.
The Chicago Bears have an official pre-draft visit on the books with Alabama outside linebacker Dallas Turner, a prospect whom ESPN’s Mel Kiper has dubbed the “clear No. 1 edge rusher” in the 2024 NFL draft class.
In a recent interview with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Turner revealed he has an upcoming pre-draft visit scheduled with the Bears, who could potentially target him with their No. 9 overall selection on the opening night of the NFL draft on April 25. He also said he has visits scheduled with Atlanta (No. 8) and Minnesota (Nos. 11 and 23).
Turner spoke about the possibility of landing with the Bears at the 2024 NFL Combine in Indianapolis late last month, complimenting their defensive scheme under head coach Matt Eberflus and noting the “freedom” his scheme provides for pass rushers.
“The Chicago Bears, their defense is really based around their pass rush,” Turner told reporters on February 28. “So, you know, being a pass rusher on that team, you get a lot of freedom and stuff like that and you get a lot of opportunities to make a lot of plays.”
The Bears are still searching for another starting pass rusher to pair with Montez Sweat for the 2024 season, but with most big-ticket free agents off the board, they may not have a better chance than in the first round of April’s draft. The question now is which edge rusher will stand out most to the Bears — and will he still be available at No. 9?
Dallas Turner Could Elevate Bears’ Pass Rush in 2024
Turner has all the physical tools necessary to become an impact pass rusher in the NFL. He is quick, clocking 4.46-second speed in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He is long, measuring 34 3/8-inch arms and a ridiculous 83-inch wingspan. And he is explosive, blending all three traits to rack up 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in 2023.
Those all happen to be things that Eberflus says he likes in pass rushers, too.
The Bears would be hitting the jackpot if they walked out of April’s first round with both a new franchise quarterback and Turner. While their pass rush did take a step forward after the addition of Sweat at last year’s trade deadline, they never found him a reliable partner on the other side and finished with the second-fewest sacks (30) in the league. Turner, known for his pass-rushing effectiveness, would be a game-changing piece.
Two problems with Turner, though. One, he needs to improve as a run defender. The Crimson Tide counted on him to both rush the passer and set the edge against the run, but he struggled to consistently accomplish the latter. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished with just a 4.2% run-stop rate, which is notably lower than either of the other two top pass rushers in the class — Jared Verse (6.6%) or Laiatu Latu (6.9%).
If the Bears decide Turner’s run-game issues are not a problem for them, they must then worry about whether he will even still be on the board at No. 9. Turner could be the first defensive player off the board in 2024. If the Falcons at No. 8 or another team are sold on Turner, he might be gone before the Bears get their chance to consider him.
If Not Dallas Turner, Who Could Bears Target at No. 9?
The Bears seem highly likely to target an edge rusher with their No. 9 pick. It is one of their biggest remaining roster needs — if not their biggest — and the majority of the big-name free agents have already signed with other teams. The Bears also lack the 2024 draft capital to make another trade for an established veteran, as they did with Sweat.
Frankly, few things make more sense than the Bears using their second top-10 draft choice to select a premier rookie pass rusher — like Turner — who will be signed to an affordable rookie contract for the same four-year window as Sweat.
Nevertheless, Bears general manager Ryan Poles could have multiple plans of attack depending on how the draft board falls. If one of the top three wide receivers in the class — Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze — falls to him at No. 9, he may find it too good of an opportunity to pass up with a rookie quarterback presumably coming into the fold at No. 1 overall.
Poles could also be of the mind that adding to the trenches is the best way to support their new franchise quarterback, in which case they could consider taking a left tackle. He did use his No. 10 overall pick in 2023 to select a new right tackle in Darnell Wright. Perhaps one of this year’s top tackles — Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu or Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga — will earn his consideration over an edge.