Facing a slew of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, and particularly along their line, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has acquired Joe Tryon-Shoyinka from the Cleveland Browns before the deadline.
Tryon-Shoyinka joins a team that ranks in the bottom third of the NFL in sacks and is seeking consistency from its pass rush.
However, this move is certainly a low-cost, potentially high-reward endeavor.
Bears Land Browns DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka Before Trade Deadline
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka Joins Injury-Depleted Bears
The Bears’ hand was forced, following another costly injury in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals, leading them to trade for Tryon-Shoyinka.
The 6-foot-5 edge defender has 15.0 career sacks, none in eight games this season.
“Browns are sending DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and a seventh-round pick to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a sixth-round pick, per sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on X on November 3.
“Chicago lost DE Dayo Odeyingbo to a season-ending Achilles injury on Sunday, and now trade for a potential replacement two days later.”
In a corresponding move, the Bears placed Odeyingbo on injured reserve. They also announced reserve offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg is going on IR. They signed 2024 undrafted free agent offensive lineman Kyle Hergel to the practice squad. Hergel played under Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen on the New Orleans Saints last season.
The Bears are hoping to draw out the talent that got Tryon-Shoyinka to the league.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Tryon-Shoyinka with the No. 32 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. He recorded 4.0 sacks in each of his first two seasons, topping out so far at 5.0 sacks in 2023.
Tampa declined Tryon-Shoyinka’s fifth-year option, and he signed with the Browns in free agency this past offseason.
Despite 0 sacks on the year, he does have 3 pressures.
Moreover, Pro Football Focus has him graded as the Browns’ fourth-best pass rusher, and their second-best EDGE behind only 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. Notably, though, Tryon-Shoyinka has logged just 15 pass-rushing reps.
That is behind the third-highest-graded Browns EDGE, Cameron Thomas, who has played 51 pass rush snaps this season.
The Bears got a strong 2025 debut from second-year man Austin Booker. However, they lost rookie Shemar Turner for the season to a torn ACL in Week 8. That thinned their ranks before Odeyingbo, who signed a three-year, $48 million contract in free agency this past offseason, went down.
This is all in addition to multiple injuries at cornerback, which is another position the Bears could address before the trade deadline passes.
Bears Forced Into Changing Plans
Booker seems like a prime candidate to step into Odeyingbo’s starting role, allowing the Bears to use Tryon-Shoyinka strategically. It is unclear if this is their final move. However, it could certainly pay off if they can finally tap into the former Washington Husky star’s immense potential.
Notably, Tryon-Shoyinka drew comparisons to fellow pass rusher and new Bears teammate Montez Sweat, as well as former Bear Robert Quinn, during the pre-draft process.
“Joe Tryon is a young pass-rusher who has seen relatively few pass-rushing snaps compared to his peers because of his single season of significant playing time,” Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department wrote in April 2021. “He is bendy for his frame, like a Montez Sweat, Preston Smith or Robert Quinn, but without their first step. The former Husky is fairly raw and hesitates, potentially because of his inexperience, but he has a solid upside if he can get off the ball quicker and become more comfortable at his position.”
Bears head coach Ben Johnson said they expect Dominique Robinson (ankle) back soon, too. He also expressed confidence that Poles and the front office would seize any opportunity they could to improve the roster. Time will tell if this does that.
The Bears also signed former Green Bay Packers draft pick Jonathan Garvin. They still have incumbents Daniel Hardy and, on the practice squad, Jamree Kromah. The Bears have until 4 p.m. ET to finalize any other trades before the deadline passes.