Hello, Chicago Bears fans! Today, I continue my look at each position group from the perspective of what Dennis Allen has historically preferred in player characteristics at that position. We now turn our attention to the defensive end position. While Allen has tended to prefer lighter defensive tackles with speed, length, and disruptive characteristics, at the defensive end position, Allen covets strength, particularly the ability to maintain the edge at the point of attack on run plays.
This has
been the key player capability that Allen has demonstrated a preference for. Let’s look at a couple of examples from Allen’s defenses:
Cameron Jordan – 6’4”, 287 lbs, 34 1/2 inch arms, 40 yd dash 4.69 sec
Payton Turner – 6’6”, 270 lbs, 35 inch arms, 40 yd dash (did not run @ combine – elite movement on tape)
Isaiah Foskey – 6’5”, 280 lbs, 34 inch arms, 40 yd dash 4.58 sec.
The profile that emerges from just these three examples is fairly clear. Allen wants big, long, and fast defensive ends who can compete in the pass rush and set the edge in the run game. Jordan is frequently cited as the “poster boy” for Allen’s oversized 4-3 DE prototype—sometimes even sliding inside in certain fronts due to his size and strength. I think this is the kind of defensive end that Ryan Pace hoped Dayo Odeyingbo could have developed into. Cam Jordan embodies the “big, long, strong” ideal. He has elite length to disrupt passing lanes and hold the point of attack against the run, he has a relentless motor and power rush moves (bull rush, hand usage, leverage). Jordan’s consistent production with high sack totals into his late 30s shows the value Allen places on durability, toughness, and never-quit effort. He sets a firm edge on early downs while generating pressure on passing downs.
When the Saints drafted Payton Turner with their first-round pick, Allen described him as the “prototype” fit for the size and length they were looking for at the defensive end position. The same goes for Isaiah Foskey, who they took in the second round. Marcus Davenport, featured in Allen defenses early on, shares similar traits. I do not think it is a coincidence that Allen let Trey Hendrickson, a lighter, bendy defensive end who was weak against setting the edge in the run game, leave the Saints for the Bengals. This likely factored in the Bears’ not participating in the competition for Hendrickson’s services in free agency this offseason.
The Bears already have a prototypical Dennis Allen defensive end in Montez Sweat – who is pretty close to being a Cam Jordan clone at 6’53/4”, 275 pounds, 35’3/4” arms, and a 4.41 40 yard dash at the combine (although he was 262 pounds at the time). Austin Booker got most of the starts at defensive end across from Sweat once he returned from injury in the 2025 season and put up some impressive sack numbers given his time on the field (4.5 sacks in less than half a season). However, he is more of your light, bendy defensive end, in more the mold of a Trey Hendrickson than a Cam Jordan. And like Hendrickson, Booker struggled at the point of attack in the run game and in setting the edge. The Bears let Dominque Robinson walk in free agency to the Houston Texans. They resigned Daniel Hardy, but Hardy profiles more as an edge/hybrid linebacker and was likely brought back more for his special teams value. With the aforementioned Dayo Odeyingbo coming off injury, and having underwhelmed during the time he was healthy, the Bears have a clear need at defensive end, particularly on early downs, to start across from Sweat as part of their defensive line rotation.
So, let’s look at some options in free agency, in the draft, and potential post-draft cuts the Bears could look to sign.
Free Agency: Cameron Jordan. It should come as no surprise that the best available defensive end in free agency that could approximate Cameron Jordan’s ability and production is… Cameron Jordan. The big question mark with Cam Jordan is his age. Jordan is 36 years old and the 2026 NFL season will be his age 37 season in the league. That said, Cam put up 10 ½ sacks on a fairly pedestrian Saints defense in 2025. I could see the Bears turning to Cam Jordan if they don’t find a prospect they can take early in the 2026 NFL draft that fits the profile. Indeed, Jordan may want to wait to sign after training camp and just before the 2026 NFL season, as we have seen many veteran players do.
2026 NFL Draft: I’ve tried to focus on one or maybe two prospects in these analyses who I thought would fit the Allen profile. However, here we have a number of players that feature some of the characteristics, while they’re missing others, or have significant question marks that make them draft risks. For example, I do not think the Bears will be in on Akheem Mesidor, given his age (25) as a draft prospect and the fact that he has had several significant injuries during his collegiate career, including foot ligament surgeries. While there has been quite a bit of buzz around Zion Young to the Bears, and he is tall and strong against the run, and he performed well at the Senior Bowl, he posted a 1.72 section 10-yard split at his pro-day, the slowest of any edge prospect in the draft. So I’m going to break this down as Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3. On Day 1, I think the only viable option, if he were to drop, is Keldrick Faulk of Auburn. He is 6’6”, 276 lbs, and has 34.4” arms. However, it is unlikely he drops to #25. A Day 1-2 prospect who is likely to be there is TJ Parker – he has the measurables, or is close, with a 6’4” frame at 263 lbs, and a 4.68 40, but his arms are just 33” and his production in 2025 was bad. On Day 2, there are several good options: Dani Dennis-Sutton is 6’6”, 256 lbs, and has 33 1/2” arms. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds. While he is lighter than what Allen tends to prefer, it is believed he could add 15 lbs to his frame without losing his explosiveness. Closer to home, Gabe Jacas, out of Illinois, 6’4”, 260 lbs, ran a 4.65-second 40 at his pro day, and had an impressive 1.59 10-yard split. On Day 2-3, some names to consider would be Derrick Moore out of Michigan and Tyreak Sapp from Florida. Sapp is a bit shorter than the profile, but he is 273 lbs and stout against the run.
Post-Draft Free Agency (cut candidates): Anthony Nelson (6’7”, 271 lbs, 35” arms) certainly has the size, and at age 29, should the Bucs draft a defensive end early, he could be a surprise cut after the 2026 NFL draft. Similarly, if the Washington Commanders take an early edge player, Deatrich Wise Jr (6’5”, 280 lbs) could be a cut candidate given his age and injury history.
But what do you think the Chicago Bears should do at the defensive end position to better shape their defense to fit the Dennis Allen mold? Tell us in the comments below!
