30 Most Important Bears of 2025: Dayo Odeyingbo (No. 22)

ASFN Admin · Jul 8, 2025

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for an exciting 2025 NFL season, which features some new faces within the organization poised to get the franchise back to its winning ways. That starts with the hiring of Ben Johnson as head coach, as well as overhauling the interior offensive line, adding pieces on defense and a potenital impactful rookie draft class.

Every day from now right up through training camp, we’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2025 season. We’ll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to 2025 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.

Up next at No. 22 is Dayo Odeyingbo, one of the big signings in free agency who is tasked with helping improve the defensive line.

Background

Position: Defensive end

Age: 25

Experience: 5th season

2025 cap hit: $8 million

2024 recap

Entering the final year of his rookie contract with the Indianapolis Colts, Odeyingbo became a full-time starter after flashing as a rotational player. The former second-round pick had improved statistically in each season as a pro and earned more playing time as a result. As a starter, however, most of Odeyingbo's production took a hit. He tallied 13 solo tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in 17 games. He did lead the league in QB pressures with 50, showing he can blow past blockers.

The down year wasn't all on Odeyingbo. The Colts' defense struggled in 2024, and they saw multiple key injuries on their defensive line. The result was having the seventh-fewest sacks in the league and a run defense that allowed 131 yards per game. Still, Odeyingbo was one of the top edge rushers set to hit the market, and the Bears made a splash to bring him in.

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2025 outlook

Odeyingbo comes to the Bears on a three-year deal worth up to $48 million guaranteed and is slated to start opposite Montez Sweat at the edge position, taking over DeMarcus Walker's old spot. At 6-foot-6 and 286 pounds, Odeyingbo's profile fits new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's system when it comes to edge rushers, giving the Bears an interesting chess piece to work with across the line. Odeyingbo may move around the line a bit, playing some defensive tackle with the likes of Gervon Dexter, Andrew Billings, and Grady Jarrett.

The Bears liked what they saw from Odeyingbo during his tenure with the Colts, but they're betting on his future at just 25 years old. Odeyingbo is just now reaching his prime, and his best football is still ahead of him.

Big question: Will Odeyingbo be worth the money?

By all accounts, the Bears had a tremendous offseason. They landed the top coaching candidate, fortified their trenches on both sides of the ball through trades and free agency, and landed excellent playmakers in the draft. That being said, the move to sign Odeyingbo is one of the more risky decisions general manager Ryan Poles has made over the last few months.

Odeyingbo simply doesn't have the track record some of the other pending free agents had, like Josh Sweat or Khalil Mack. That's not to say he won't be successful, as he has played just four years, but the Bears are betting on future production without being able to lean on his past. And with a cap hit of over $20 million in 2026, that's a gamble. Hopefully this time next year, we are lauding Poles' foresight to land an impactful edge rusher who is well worth the money. For now, though, we need to see Odeyingbo produce as a starting edge rusher.