The Chicago Bears’ 2025 season is just days away and, with the Minnesota Vikings on tap for the season opener on Monday Night Football, the NFC North rivalry begins right away.
Coming off a 14-3 season, the Vikings will start a new era with quarterback J.J. McCarthy replacing veteran Sam Darnold who departed for the Seattle Seahawks in free agency. Meanwhile, the Bears will debut new head coach Ben Johnson.
When looking at Minnesota’s roster, the Vikings still have very attractive and productive pieces on both sides of the ball. In the opening week of the season, we’re bringing back “Gimme Him,” as we take a look at one player on the opposing roster who we would steal for the Bears roster.
There was consideration to select left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who was graded 81.4 by Pro Football Focus last year, or a running back to add behind D’Andre Swift, but Chicago addressed those positions in the draft this year. While the front office did not elect to draft an edge rusher in this year’s draft, they did add Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency, to bolster their pass rush, but there is still a desire for more.
That’s why we’re taking Jonathan Greenard and adding him to a new look defensive line for coordinator Dennis Allen. After spending the first four years of his career with the Houston Texans, Greenard signed with Minnesota prior to last season and made quite the impact in his first year.
Playing in all 17 games for the Vikings, Greenard finished with a combined career-high 59 tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, and three passes defended. This is the second consecutive season that Greenard has had at least 12 sacks to his credit, and he has now brought his career total to 35 in his first five seasons.
In comparison, Chicago’s big free agent signing of Odeyingbo had three sacks in 17 games last season and totaled 11 over the last two years compared to Greenard’s 24.5 in that same span. Greenard would undoubtedly be an upgrade and would make quite the pairing opposite of Montez Sweat.
Greenard would likely get the starting nod over Odeyingbo, but adding him to a rebuilt pass rush led by Odeyingbo, Grady Jarrett, rookie Shemar Turner, and Sweat, there would be plenty of talent on the defensive line to cause chaos on opposing quarterbacks.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Gimme him: One player Bears would steal from Vikings
Reporting by Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
