A.J. Epenesa agreed to a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns worth up to $5 million, but the deal ended in late March after he failed a physical. In late May, he reappeared as a potential option when the Chicago Bears brought him in for a workout. Epenesa recorded 2.5 sacks in 16 games for the Buffalo Bills last season and totaled 18.5 sacks over three seasons from 2022 to 2024. The workout indicates the Bears are monitoring options and doing due diligence on an emergency list. The defensive line appears to need help, though addressing it late in the offseason may reflect cap constraints and limited contract flexibility.
"The front office is keeping tabs on potential options. It's my understanding the Bears brought in A.J. Epenesa for a workout last week. The free agent had 2½ sacks in 16 games for the Buffalo Bills last season after totaling 18½ sacks over three seasons from 2022-24."
"Would adding Epenesa or a player like him move the needle for you? Epenesa had an agreement with the Cleveland Browns on a one-year, $5 million contract, but that deal fell apart in late March after the 27-year-old Iowa product failed a physical. What specifically led the Browns to pull their offer is unknown."
"That's evidence that the Bears aren't sitting around simply wondering how the players on the roster will perform. I'd probably classify the visit by Epenesa somewhere between interest in adding to the position and performing due diligence on an emergency list."
"At a minimum, the takeaway here is that the Bears are still exploring their defensive line options. On the one hand, that is a good thing because that group looks like it needs help. But on the other hand, I don't love that such an important position group could be addressed with a springtime flier when there were potentially better options available earlier in the offseason."
Read at Bleacher Nation
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