Bears Eye Edge Rusher Help: Pierre, Rhodes, Uiagalelei on Draft Radar
The short version
- Edge rusher ranks as the Bears' top need, and the team is expected to pick in the middle or later portion of the first round.
- Bryce Young threw for 361 yards against Chicago in the opener; the Bears have five sacks through two games.
- Alabama's Yhonzae Pierre recorded nine sacks and 45 pressures last season after redshirting in 2024.
- Arkansas' Quincy Rhodes was a second-team All-SEC pick, and Oregon's Matayo Uiagalelei is a longtime top-rated prospect who must cut down on missed tackles.
With edge rusher Chicago's clearest need, Alabama's Yhonzae Pierre, Arkansas' Quincy Rhodes and Oregon's Matayo Uiagalelei profile as possible first-round targets.
Edge rusher has been the Chicago Bears' most obvious need since before the 2026 NFL season began, and the opening two weeks have done nothing to change that assessment. The team could easily direct its first-round pick toward the position next spring, with Chicago expected to select in the middle or later portion of the round.
The concern surfaced in Week 1. Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young threw for 361 yards against Chicago in the season opener, the kind of passing day that exposed how little the front was disrupting the pocket. Two games into the year, the Bears have five sacks, a figure that leaves them near the middle of the league.
Veteran Montez Sweat remains the one established difference-maker off the edge and continues to produce at a high level, but he is carrying the pass rush largely on his own. No proven complement has emerged opposite him, which is why the position sits atop the team's list of needs in early draft conversations.
Alabama's Yhonzae Pierre is one name who could still be on the board when Chicago picks. A five-star recruit in the 2023 class, he ranked second in the state of Alabama and 28th nationally coming out of high school. Blocked by a deep Crimson Tide front, he redshirted in 2024 and did not get an extended opportunity until last season. He used it to post nine sacks and 45 pressures to go with 34 run stops and three forced fumbles, production built on just one year of featured work.
Arkansas' Quincy Rhodes is the projection pick of the group, a second-team All-SEC selection last season who has caught his head coach's attention with how quickly he is developing. "His body has already changed in the short time with our new strength and conditioning staff," Ryan Silverfield said at SEC Media Day, adding that Rhodes is taking steps forward in a leadership role and will keep being pushed. The trajectory laid out for this season is a place on the All-SEC first team, with All-America recognition not out of the question.
Oregon's Matayo Uiagalelei has been a top-rated prospect long enough to give scouts an extensive reel to study. He earns strong marks for holding the edge against outside runs, and he generates pressure even in games where the sack and tackle-for-loss columns stay quiet. His best work comes on passing downs, while run downs and a history of missed tackles are the flagged weaknesses. Cleaning up the tackling is viewed as the difference between a promising prospect and a clear first-round selection.
The Bears' pass rush faces its next test in prime time. The Philadelphia Eagles visit Soldier Field on Monday, September 28, with kickoff scheduled for 8:15 PM EDT on ESPN and ABC.
