Chicago Bears give Dennis Allen his chance to have some fun on Day 2 after adding another impact pass rusher to the defensive line rotation (2025)

After taking three straight offensive players, the Chicago Bears finally add to the defensive side of the ball on Day 2. The Bears have selected Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner with the 62nd overall pick in the second-round of the 2025 NFL Draft, another selection from the trade back with the Buffalo Bills.

Turner has flashed some disruption and versatility on the Aggies defensive front, which should translate well into the Bears rotation aiming to move their pass rushers around.

Adding a defensive lineman on Day 2 was always the best route to take, even after passing on the position with three straight picks. This proves how deep the DL class truly was and allows the Bears to address other positions first while still getting a solid interior pass rusher.

Just like on the offensive front, the starting unit seemed to be set, but finding quality depth players was a major need behind the starters. And it's something general manager Ryan Poles wanted to continue prioritizing.

"You can't have enough pass rushers on your team," Poles said. "We all watched the Super Bowl, right? You want to have waves of pass rushers."

Going with a versatile player here, in Shemar Turner, gives the Bears added depth on the interior for Dennis Allen's defense.

By drafting Turner, the complete overhaul of the defensive trench continues as well for Ryan Poles and the Bears' front office. The team has now added Dayo Odeyingbo, Grady Jarrett, and Turner to the defensive front this offseason.

Getting after the quarterback and becoming an attacking style defense again in Chicago is a top priority for Allen's scheme.

"How do we affect the quarterback?" Allen explained. "We can be as great as we can be covering everybody, but it's not going to matter if we can't get to the quarterback."

With Montez Sweat, Odeyingbo, Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings and Austin Booker already in the fold on defense, Turner might not be an immediate starter but he will get plenty of snaps. The defensive line will once again operate under a stout rotation with waves of pass rusher attacking the opposing quarterback.

Turner has experience playing next to two top edge rushers after lining up alongside fellow 2025 draft picks in Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton. He possesses a lot of power but struggled with his consistency, something that seems to be a constant with the scheme at Texas A&M. Jarrett will be an excellent mentor for Turner to learn from.

Back in February, the Philadelphia Eagles proved that championship level teams are formed in the trenches, with top talent and depth at multiple positions. Turner gives the Bears another high-upside player on the defensive line for now, and for the future.

While he might not crack the starting rotation, he's a team player who will wait out his turn to fully take over while learning behind an experienced veteran.