Bears to sign former Lions, Saints 1st-round DE to address big need

The Chicago Bears are expected to sign veteran defensive lineman Marcus Davenport to strengthen their edge-rusher/depth on the defensive front for the 2026 season. The need is tied to recent turnover and remaining uncertainty within the group, after Chicago let players such as Nahshon Wright, Kevin Byard, and Jaquan Brisker go in free agency. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported the Bears will reunite Davenport with Dennis Allen, a coach connection from Davenport’s time with the New Orleans Saints, where he was a first-round pick. Davenport, 29, has played for four teams across nine NFL seasons. In 2025 with the Lions, he appeared in eight games and recorded one sack, compared with 9.0 sacks in 11 games during the 2021 Saints season.