The following is the sixth of nine position reviews from the Bears' 2025 season.

While the Bears defensive line dealt with myriad injuries throughout the season, several players stepped up, particularly late in the year.

Montez Sweat led the group with 10.0 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, 13 tackles-for-loss and three forced fumbles, which equaled his career best. It marked the second time Sweat reached double-digit sacks in his career (2023), and his first time doing so with one team.

The majority of Sweat's production occurred after the bye week, something coach Ben Johnson repeatedly discussed as a difference maker for the Bears defense.

"He's a guy that we count on," Johnson said late in the season. "I know the sack numbers is what everybody looks at when it comes to edge rushers, and he's at double digits. He's played really good football in that regard, but as I've told him, as the year has gone along, for me it's not just the sacks, it's also the pressures and the quarterback hits.

"When you're watching from the sideline and you're feeling him affecting the quarterback, a different type of way I do think that's really important. He's stepped up. I've felt like that since the bye week. He's playing really good in the running game – that gets overlooked – but also in the passing game. I felt him get after the quarterback a little bit more."

Sweat recorded his best performance Nov. 23 in a 31-28 win over Pittsburgh. Heading into the Week 12 game, the veteran had recorded a sack in four of the previous five contests and tallied two more against the Steelers, including a strip-sack which he recovered himself.

Sweat also made an impact in the Bears' two playoff games, playing a season-high 82.1% of snaps against the Rams and 80.3% of snaps, his third highest, against the Packers. In the Wild Card Round, he recorded three quarterback hits and a batted pass and registered a sack of Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford in the Divisional Round.

"I thought Sweat did a good job this year," general manager Ryan Poles said. "I think sometimes we get hung up on sacks, and sacks are important. He did get into double digits, but I think his all-around game was good. The way he defended the run, defended the perimeter, as well as applied pressure, was good. We need him to continue to get better, too."

In the first half of the season, veteran Dayo Odeyingbo played opposite Sweat and recorded 21 tackles, 1.0 sack and four QB hits before suffering an Achilles injury against the Bengals Nov. 2 that sidelines him for the remainder of the season.

Odeyingbo's last game of the season was the first action for Austin Booker after the second-year pro started the season on injured reserve. Booker had shown promise in the preseason, leading the league with 4.0 sacks, but sustained a knee injury and was placed on injured reserve to start the season.

After recording his first sack of the season in Cincinnati, Booker started the remaining nine regular-season games and two postseason contests, totaling 5.5 sacks and 14 QB hits in 12 games and routinely playing the most snaps of any player on the defensive line. The Kansas product came alive late in the year, starting with a two-sack performance against the Browns Dec. 14.

"I think [Booker] continues to get better each and every week," defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said late in the season. "I know I've said this before, but the thing that I like about that player is his toughness, his grittiness, his tenacity. He plays extremely hard on every single play. And I think that's what allows him to be effective."

Booker was also instrumental in the Bears' regular-season and playoff wins over Green Bay, totaling 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three QB hits between the two contests.

The Bears also had saw contributions from veteran edge rushers Dominque Robinson, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Daniel Hardy.

Veterans Grady Jarrett and Andrew Billings, as well as third-year pro Gervon Dexter Sr., manned the interior defensive line for the majority of the season. Both Billings and Dexter appeared in all 17 games, while Jarrett missed just three due to injury.

Dexter led the group of defensive tackles with 44 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, two fumble recoveries and tied Billings with six tackles-for-loss. Jarrett and Billings combined for 13 quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks.

Rookie defensive lineman Shemar Turner contributed in five games before suffering a season-ending ACL injury in Baltimore Oct. 26. At his end-of-season press conference, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters he expects both Odeyingbo and Turner back in some capacity during the offseason program.

"There's a lot going on there just in terms of we had some injuries going on that you have to overcome," Poles said. "I think that's an area where we can continue to press and get better. I look forward to Shemar getting back and Dayo getting back."