Bears Adding Former Saints Edge Rusher Mario Edwards

The addition of Mario Edwards provides the Bears with experienced depth on the edge behind Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn

The Bears have brought aboard a veteran outside pass rusher with past ties to Khalil Mack.

Mario Edwards, a former Mack teammate with Oakland, has agreed to terms with the Bears after being cut by the New Orleans Saints, according to an NFL Network report by Mike Garafolo.

Lynch would be a different version of Aaron Lynch. For two years, Lynch provided a third edge player behind Mack and Leonard Floyd who was big enough at 285 pounds to be stout against the run while occasionally spelling starters. Lynch left in free agency before this season, signed with Jacksonville, went on injured reserve and has retired.

Edwards, who is 6-foot-3, 280, was a second-round pick by the Raiders out of Florida State in 2015. He was at the end of this training camp by the Saints. He has 10 1/2 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in a five-year career with Oakland, the New York Giants and last year New Orleans. Edwards has 24 starts in 59 career games, and made three sacks for the Saints last year

During 2017 in Mack's last year with Oakland, Edwards was the starting defensive end opposite Mack for 14 games.

The signing can't be good news for James Vaughters, the backup edge rusher who had apparently made the Bears' roster as a fifth edge after serving on the practice squad most of last year.

The Bears drafted Trevis Gipson from Tulsa as an edge rusher in Round 5, giving up a fourth-round pick in 2021 in the process. He is viewed as an edge rusher in training more than as a key contributor. They also have Barkevious Mingo, a veteran whose strength is in pass coverage and special teams.

The signing further emphasizes a shift in the way the Bears are playing defense without Floyd on the team. Floyd was a player who could go into pass coverage or rush the passer. Mack isn't viewed as much of a coverage edge, although he can do this.

Now, with Mack and Robert Quinn, and also Edwards, the Bears' only real edge with coverage skills is Mingo, who was signed in free agency after a year in Houston.

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