The Chicago Bears have been named the “best team fit” for one of the best still-available veteran pass rushers in free agency heading into the start of OTAs.
During the offseason, the Bears went against expectations and did not make an outside addition to their defensive end room, effectively putting them on track to enter 2026 with the same edge rushers who contributed to them finishing second-to-last in pass-rush win rate (29%) and fourth-worst in pressure percentage (28%) in 2025, per ESPN.
As the Bears have explained, they believe a season’s worth of experience in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s system and better health for two of their edge rushers — veteran Dayo Odeyingbo and 2025 second-rounder Shemar Turner — can help the unit take a step forward. Allen has also admitted he needs to coach them better in 2026.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen, however, believes they could still prove to be the best landing spot for eight-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Von Miller, who remains unsigned as of May 18.
“The Bears are awaiting the return of edge rushers Dayo Odeyingbo (Achilles) and Shemer Turner (torn ACL), and the team didn’t take an edge rusher in the draft,” Bowen wrote May 18. “That could open the door for Miller as a sub-package defender in Chicago.
“At this stage of his career, Miller is best used as a true designated pass rusher. He had a team-high nine sacks for the Commanders last season.
Von Miller Could Fit Financially Into Bears’ 2026 Plans
Miller’s availability in post-draft free agency is not all that surprising. He made eight Pro Bowl rosters and earned seven All-Pro honors (three as a first-team selection) in the first nine seasons of his NFL career, but he is more than five years removed from his last meaningful league accolade. He also just turned 37 in March, increasing injury risk.
Even still, Miller might be exactly the type of productive pass rusher who fits into both the Bears’ rotational plans and their financial picture heading into the 2026 season.
Miller has not played more than 500 defensive snaps since the 2021 season, but he has remained productive as a rotational pass rusher over the past four seasons. As Bowen mentioned, he led the Commanders with nine sacks over 17 games in 2025, playing on just 420 defensive snaps. He also had six sacks in 13 games for Buffalo one year earlier.
For a Bears team more interested in seeing growth from its returning edges, Miller may fit the plan nicely as someone who has settled into working as a sub or rotational piece.
Miller is also unlikely to break the bank for the Bears. He signed for just one year, $6.1 million with the Commanders in 2025. While his contract was worth a max possible value of $10.5 million through performance-based incentives — such as sack totals and and Pro Bowl selection — he hit against Washington’s cap for just $6.1 million.
If the Bears could sign Miller for a similar price range, it could fit into their constraints.
According to Over the Cap, the Bears have about $11.18 million in cap space for 2026, but they still have unsigned draft picks, including first-round pick Dillon Thieneman, leaving them with less than it might seem — but potentially enough to rope in Miller.
Could Bears Wait Until Camp to Re-Evaluate at Edge?
The Bears had chances to take a big swing at the edge rusher position for 2026.
They kicked the tires on a trade for Maxx Crosby in the spring before backing off when they found the asking price too rich. They also explored potentially trading up to the top part of the second round to land one of the top rookie defensive linemen, but the same issue — how much it would cost them — arose again, as Bears GM Ryan Poles admitted.
Instead, the Bears stood pat and wound up with the exact same edge rushers that had occupied their 2025 roster, expressing confidence that they will grow and improve.
Could that change once OTAs are finished and training camp is on the horizon, though?
The next few weeks might not tell the Bears much about their edge-rusher situation. It is unlikely that Odeyingbo or Turner will be ready to participate in on-field workouts, so it might take until camp for the Bears to evaluate if their re-up plan will suffice in 2026.
That said, the Bears could use the break between OTAs and camp to explore what their options are for adding more talent\ if they end the spring nervous about the 2026 unit. Miller is one option, but veteran Cam Jordan — who has ties to Allen — is another who would make sense. The trade market might also see teams trying to resolve logjams.
Either way, it seems unlikely that the Bears will rush out to sign someone, even Miller.
Bears Named ‘Best Fit’ for 8-Time Pro Bowl Edge Rusher Ahead of OTAs