Bears' Odeyingbo Contract: Overpaid & Underperforming

0:00On March 29th, the Chicago Bears are rolling as one of the top Super Bowl threats in the NFC after a breakout 2025 season underhead. Coach Ben Johnson. But to keep climbing, they need big steps from Caleb Williams and the offense, plus a real spark from their pass rush. Right now, Edge rusher Dale O'Dangbo stands out as their most overpaid guy, locked into a three-year, $48 million deal with a whopping, $20.5 million cap hit coming in 2026. Earlier this offseason, the Bears handed O'Dangbo, that contract, hoping he billed on solid years with the Colts, where he notched eight sacks in, 2023. He only managed three sacks in 2024, though, and this year things went south fast, just one sack and two tackles for loss in his first. Eight games before a torn Achilles sideline him in week nine. Fans and analysts are buzzing about how this deal has turned sour quick for General Manager Ryan Poles, especially with the Bears tied on cap space.

1:02It's worse than other roster overpays like Titan Cole comment, and the team regressive big time since O'Dangbo's output fell way short of expectations. Looking ahead, even a fired up O'Dangbo in 2026 won't cut it alone, they'll demand way more production to mash that paycheck no matter. Meanwhile, whispers of other moves like potential trades and signings keep swirling around the roster. As the Bears push for their ring, sorting this cap mess and unlocking their defense could make or break their contender status. That's the story for today, NFL News Today, driven by AI. I'm Corey with The Story.