– At 29, Franklin-Myers posted solid 2025 numbers: 39 quarterback pressures, 23 hurries, 18 stops, and eight sacks, and ranked as the 53rd-best interior defender out of 134 in PFF’s 2025 grading. Knox projects Franklin-Myers will earn a substantial raise from his current two-year, $15 million deal, likely landing a three-year contract worth around $44 million with either Chicago or Dallas. This would set him up for his eighth NFL season in 2026. 💥📊
– Knox framed Franklin-Myers as a sensible piece in a multi-pronged plan to improve Chicago’s pass rush, especially if the Bears also pursue additions in the draft. An ESPN mock by Jordan Reid recently suggested Chicago could target Cashius Howell from Texas A&M, an edge-rusher with 11.5 sacks this season. Howell’s size and length—6-foot-2, 248 pounds—could help complement veteran Montez Sweat and add sustained pressure off the edge. 🧠📈
– The Bears could also consider a bigger swing for a blue-chip pass-rusher like Maxx Crosby. Chicago finished the regular season with the league’s 29th-ranked defense and just 35 sacks (22nd in the NFL) and a 28.8% pass rush win rate. Trading for Crosby would require elite commitment, possibly two first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, given his nine-figure contract through 2029 and the Raiders’ dissatisfaction with his situation. 💸🏟️
– This synopsis originates from Heavy Sports, under a headline predicting a Bears–Cowboys battle for a $44 million defensive lineman headed to the AFC title game. In short, Chicago faces a high-stakes decision on how best to upgrade the trenches—whether through Franklin-Myers at a reasonable price, a college-dearly edge upgrade, or a blockbuster trade for a star like Crosby—to jump-start a more formidable defense. 🗞️⚡️
