The Chicago Bears have avoided adding to the edge rush for the entire offseason, but the team’s interest over recent months in potential trades for pass-rushers on both the outside and inside of the defensive line has kept Chicago in the conversation to add talent somewhere across its front.
Most recently, Jordan Schultz reported that interest is growing around the NFL in Haason Reddick, who remains available via free agency.
“Sources: 2x Pro Bowl OLB Haason Reddick has become the latest veteran pass-rusher drawing interest from teams after recent signings, including Von Miller to Dallas, Za’Darius Smith to Atlanta, and Derek Barnett to Cleveland,” Schultz posted to X on Tuesday, August 25. “The 31-year-old Reddick has 61.5 career sacks and spent last season in Tampa Bay.”
Haason Reddick Has Struggled Over Past 2 NFL Seasons
GettyFormer Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge-rusher Haason Reddick.
Schultz’s report raises some intriguing questions given that he didn’t specifically name any team(s) with interest in Reddick. But, for the right price, it is reasonable to believe that pass-rush needy groups would take a flyer on a player who has had some recent success, albeit not too much within the past couple of years.
Reddick has 61.5 sacks over his nine seasons in the league. However, all but 10 of those sacks came during a four-year run between 2020-23.
Over the past two seasons, one with the New York Jets and last year with the Buccaneers, Reddick has played in a total of 23 games and produced just 3.5 sacks. He has added eight tackles for loss over that span.
Pass-rush specialists play fewer downs and often suffer fewer injuries than most other players at physical positions, which might provide Reddick a window to a role with a team like Chicago if he got a workout and performed exceptionally.
Miller, for instance, produced zero sacks across 12 games for the Buffalo Bills in 2023. But he returned to Buffalo the following season and put up six sacks in 13 contests before adding nine sacks to his career total across a full season with the Washington Commanders last year.
Smith, meanwhile, retired for a year and didn’t play at all in 2025 before signing in Atlanta earlier this month.
Reddick played in Tampa Bay on a one-year deal worth $14 million last season, though Spotrac projects his market value at just a shade over $4.9 million in 2026.
Bears Have Been Involved in Multiple Trade Discussions for Defensive Line Difference-Makers This Offseason
GettyDefensive end Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Schultz did not report interest in Reddick from Chicago, but there are arguably pass-rush questions in every locker room in the NFC North Division with less than three weeks remaining before the regular season begins. Thus, the Bears are naturally a potential candidate for a low-risk, high-upside value swing at one of the game’s more important positions.
Harrison Graham of “Bears Now” noted the team’s activity with regards to potential offseason trades on Friday, August 21, which offers more evidence that Chicago might be in the market for a playmaker on the defensive line in the coming weeks.
“It’s a signal that the Bears are interested in opportunities,” Graham said. “We know they were in on Maxx Crosby earlier this offseason to a certain extent. We now know that they were in on Vita Vea, according to two prominent NFL insiders.”
Bears Landing Spot for 2-Time Pro Bowl Pass-Rusher Catching Eyes Around NFL