Bears Visit Slated for Edge Rusher

The Bears will turn their focus to edge rusher on Thursday as Minnesota's D.J. Wonnum visits Halas Hall, according to an ESPN report.

Bears interest in adding an edge rusher is focused around Minnesota now.

Apparently it's not on Danielle Hunter, though, as NFL Network reports he has signed with Houston.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported D.J. Wonnum will make a visit to Halas Hall on Thursday, after he goes to Carolina on Wednesday.

The Panthers now have an opening on their line after trading Brian Burns to the Giants.

Wonnum is hardly the household word Hunter is. He has had two eight-sack seasons but had two seasons, in 2021 and 2023, but was less effective as a rookie with three sacks and then in 2022 with four.

It was during that 2022 season when the Vikings were in a 3-4 base scheme Vic Fangio-style scheme under former Bears assistant Ed Donatell. Wonnum became a situational player. However, he got back to starting when Brian Flores took over the defense last year.

Wonnum was a fourth-round draft pick in 2020 out of South Carolina.

Hunter would be a high-end signing as possibly the best remaining edge rusher.

One of the other better edges remaining by Tuesday afternoon was off the board when New England's Josh Uche decided to stay with his team after 14 1/2 sacks the last two years.

The Bears have DeMarcus Walker at right defensive end but they like to use a rotation on the defensive line. Walker had 4 1/2 sacks last year. Yannick Ngakoue was the starter on that side once the Bears traded for Montez Sweat and put him on the left side of the defensive line. They also still have Dominique Robinson on the roster.

However, Ngakoue is a free agent after suffering a season-ending broken ankle.

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