The following is the sixth of nine position previews in advance of training camp.

The Bears defensive line boasts a wealth of experience at both the edge rusher and tackle positions through a combination of new and returning players.

One of Bears' biggest offseason moves was signing 11th-year defensive tackle and two-time Pro Bowl selection Grady Jarrett. The Atlanta native had spent his entire NFL career with the Falcons after being drafted by his hometown team in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft before coming to Chicago in March.

Jarrett has appeared in 152 games with 137 starts, tallying 496 career tackles, 36.5 sacks, 77 tackles for loss and 125 quarterback hits. The veteran is also renowned for his leadership skills and community involvement, having been nominated for the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year Award twice.

"The first thing I'd say about Grady is this is a guy for a number of years now that's played at a fantastically high level – this guy's outstanding," coach Ben Johnson said. "You feel his presence. He's a guy you have to game plan for when you go against him. When I was in Detroit with Jonah (Jackson), we talked like, 'this is a guy that you come out of the game and you're sore because you played against him.'

"He's relentless, he's passionate about what he does … this guy loves football and he's going to bring that element to the team."

In joining the Bears, Jarrett is teaming up with a group of returners that includes Pro Bowl defensive end Montez Sweat as well as tackles Gervon Dexter Sr. and Andrew Billings.

Entering his seventh year in the league, Sweat has started all 92 games he's appeared in for the Commanders (2019-23) and Bears (2023-24). He's tallied 254 tackles, 47 sacks, 60 tackles for loss and 111 quarterback hits.

The Bears acquired Sweat in a trade with Washington in October 2023, a season when he totaled a career-high 12.5 sacks and led both Washington and Chicago in sacks — a feat that no other NFL played had achieved — to earn his first Pro Bowl bid.

"I'm excited about working with 'Tez," defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett said. "The meetings we've had together – he's detailed and he's into it. He's working his tail off every day. I'm excited to get him on the field and work with him, but you can see the traits all the way back when he was a Mississippi State and throughout his career. He has the tools to be a dynamic pass rusher and effective in the run game as well. There are always things he'll look to improve upon and we'll look to improve upon, as with all the guys."

Opposite of Sweat this season will be a new face — fifth-year pro Dayo Odeyingbo, who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Colts after being drafted No. 54 overall in 2021.

Odeyingbo comes to Chicago with 61 career appearances, including 19 starts, where he's tallied 106 tackles, 16.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and 46 quarterback hits. Odeyingbo's ability to play along the entire defensive line is a trait that can complement Sweat's talent on the outside.

"Dayo — I think one of the things that he does exceptionally well is, I think he moves inside and passing downs and rushes really well from the interior," defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. "I do think we have some options there and certainly, that's one of the main points of pass rush. Everybody talks about these speed rushers off the edge, but really it's about the interior pocket pressure that you have to have. That allows guys like Montez Sweat to be able to have some success coming off the edge."

Dexter and Billings return as key contributors on the interior of the line.

The Bears drafted Dexter No. 53 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Over the past two seasons, the Florida product has appeared in 32 games and accumulated 71 tackles, 31 quarterback hits and 7.5 sacks.

Now going into his third pro season, Dexter has stepped up as a leader, helping integrate Jarrett into the locker room during offseason and taking extra steps to improve his own game.

"I think he has a really, really high ceiling," Jarrett said. "You can see the work he's putting in, the weight room, away from the facility. He's here early. He's spending extra time with coach. Year 3 is such a critical time. It's when you can take that big leap. You've played some football, you get more comfortable and now you can know how to apply things and really, really take that big step, man. So I'm excited to see what happens for him. I think our styles complement each other very well and I can't wait to continue to go hunt with that guy."

Billings enters his ninth NFL season and third with the Bears after playing for the Bengals (2016-19), Browns (2020-21), Dolphins (2021), Chiefs (2021) and Raiders (2022).

Billings played and started in 25 games with the Bears before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 9 last season.

Other players in the rotation along the defensive line include Dominique Robinson, Austin Booker and Daniel Hardy on the edge as well as rookie Shemar Turner, Zacch Pickens and Chris Williams inside.

Robinson was drafted by the Bears as a fifth-round selection in 2022, appearing in 34 games with eight starts and recording 49 tackles, 2.0 sacks, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits.

Head coach Ben Johnson identified Robinson as a player who impressed him during offseason workouts.

"Even without pads on, he's done a great job of consistently speed rushing up the field or countering back to the inside," Johnson said in June. "He's done a really nice job there. And, of course, he's got some special teams value that he takes a lot of pride in as well."

Booker enters his second NFL season after being drafted in the fifth round last year. As a rookie, he played in all 17 games, both on special teams and defense, recording 20 tackles, 1.5 sacks, four quarterback hits and three tackles for loss.

Hardy began his career as a 2022 seventh-round selection by the Rams before joining the Bears' practice squad in 2023 and appearing in all 17 contests in 2024. He served as a core special teamer, playing in over 80% of the team's special teams snaps and recording a team-leading seven solo special teams tackles. His biggest play on special teams came in a Week 1 win over the Titans, when he blocked a punt that was scooped up and ran in for a touchdown by safety Jonathan Owens.

The Bears have a new weapon on the interior defensive line in Turner, who they selected with the No. 62 overall pick in April. The Texas A&M product played four collegiate seasons and totaled 115 tackles, 10 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss.

"It's been a limited time together, but just watching him as a player, he has a great natural ability," Jarrett said. "He's quick, strong and comes from a really good program. Played in some good football in the SEC. He'll be ready to go when it's time to go."

Since being drafted by the Bears No. 64 overall in 2023, Pickens has appeared in 26 games with three starts. Williams has appeared in 30 career games with the Colts (2020-22), Chiefs (2023) and Bears (2024).

Other defensive linemen set to compete for a roster spot in training camp include Jonathan Ford, Jamree Kromah, Xavier Carlton and Jereme Robinson.