Here is a good article on fixing that weakness.

https://sportsmockery.com/2018/05/five-ways-chicago-can-fix-their-edge-rusher-problem/

I do not think we are in as bad as shape as it may look.

We finished 7th in the league last year with Floyd hurt most of the year. McPhee beat up, Young on the DL.

We have more production coming from Floyd this year.10-12 ?

Aaron Lynch will make some kind of contribution 4-6?

Kwiat is going to backup outside and I see him contributing 3-4.

R. Smith will be figured in the pass rushing aspect 3-4.

Patrick Willis first year with Fangio stats. 174 tks and 4 sacks, he had a high of 6 sacks in his third year.

I think Witts if healthy can has some contribution 3-4.

Goldman and Hicks will have a contribution  6-8

Bullard and RHH will make a contribution in breakout seasons 4-6.

We will be just fine.

 

I think the defense outperformed a year ago. The nice thing is, we do have Hicks / Goldman who can generate rush from the line and hopefully we see steps forward from RR / Bullard.  Hopefully Floyd is healthy and steps up the pass rush and Roquan might help a bit there as well. That said, we don't have any other dynamic players that I anticipate emerging from there.  I don't think we will be bad, but I certainly don't think we will be as dynamic as if we had one more guy.  But we can only address so many holes and it will be on the list next off-season, ideally in a draft that will have a lot more depth at the position (I think I saw where like 7 of the top 10 prospects for next years draft (yes...very preliminary) were dl/pass rushers.  

I don't expect to be picking top 10, but in all honesty, i still expect we are in that range of 14-18.  

I think DBDB is right. We need RR/Bullard to step up.

This deficiency should have been addressed in the draft. Dorance Armstrong or Josh Sweat in the 4th would have made more sense given their college production/positioning. Hopefully Iggy can make the transition from ILB to OLB like the rumors say.

I think Pace envisions Iggy and Smith both starters in 2 years after we let often injured Trevathan go. Both will be around 6-1 240 and can run like hell.I also think because of their athleticism that they will figure in the pass rush and be successful at it. I think Smith has 4 this year.

4 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

I think Pace envisions Iggy and Smith both starters in 2 years after we let often injured Trevathan go. Both will be around 6-1 240 and can run like hell.I also think because of their athleticism that they will figure in the pass rush and be successful at it. I think Smith has 4 this year.

This.

Peace

 

4 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

I think Pace envisions Iggy and Smith both starters in 2 years after we let often injured Trevathan go. Both will be around 6-1 240 and can run like hell.I also think because of their athleticism that they will figure in the pass rush and be successful at it. I think Smith has 4 this year.

I agree. I read they will move kwit to OLB to compete with Lynch.

Bears have plenty of cap space still and someone will shake loose in preaseason cuts if it still looks like a problem. See what the young guys can do and go after a veteran if they aren’t cutting it. 

10 hours ago, jason said:

I think DBDB is right. We need RR/Bullard to step up.

This deficiency should have been addressed in the draft. Dorance Armstrong or Josh Sweat in the 4th would have made more sense given their college production/positioning. Hopefully Iggy can make the transition from ILB to OLB like the rumors say.

Where are these rumors that Iggy, at about 230lbs, is moving to OLB?  I'm not sure we ask him to add much weight because Pace values his speed, just based on his comments after the draft.   

I've seen one reporter speculate that drafting Iggy means we could move Kwiatkoski to OLB.  I think that's a horrible fit.  Kwit has little length to play against OT or TE blocks.  Without that attribute he also doesn't have much quick twitch movement and is not very agile changing directions.  At ILB some of that gets covered up because he can often play moving forward but it's also why he's not that good in coverage.  Yet I still love the way he plays the game.   With Iggy on board we simply have some very good depth at ILB.  

I do agree pass rush help must come from Bullard or RRH.  My money is on RRH.