Edge rusher T.J. Parker
Getty
Edge rusher T.J. Parker
Edge rusher T.J. Parker is generating serious buzz as a potential first round target for theChicago Bears, and a possible trade down scenario makes the fit even more intriguing.
In a new mock draft fromThe Sporting News, Chicago moves from No. 25 to No. 31 in a deal with theNew England Patriots and still lands the Clemson pass rusher.
With the search for a true running mate forMontez Sweat ongoing, Parker is the name analysts continue to connect to Dennis Allen’s defensive blueprint.
Why Parker fits Chicago’s defense
Edge rusher T.J. Parker
GettyEdge rusher T.J. Parker
T.J. Parker finished his Clemson career with more tackles for loss (41.5) than games played (39). In his sophomore season alone, Parker put up 11 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, and set a single season school record with six forced fumbles.
NFL Network host Rhett Lewis also has him landing with the Chicago Bears in his first round mock, noting that Parker “gives the Bears a nice option opposite Montez Sweat.”
The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer went further, projecting Parker as “an ideal Cameron Jordan-like addition for Dennis Allen’s defense.”
At 6’4” and 265 pounds, he looks the part. And he plays with the kind of motor that doesn’t need coaching… I mean he recovered a fumble 30 yards downfield against South Carolina last season which about sums it up.
However, Parker’s 2025 numbers were a step back. Five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss after an All-America sophomore year will raise eyebrows (and it should). He also opted out of Clemson’s bowl game to prepare for the draft. That’s a legitimate knock heading into April.
The pass rush problem
Edge rusher T.J. Parker
GettyEdge rusher T.J. Parker
The Chicago Bears’ pass rush problem is not a secret. It hasn’t been for years.
Montez Sweat does everything he can. He finished 2025 with 10 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, and 13 tackles for loss while drawing double teams all season. But beyond him, offenses haven’t had much to worry about.
Dayo Odeyingbo was supposed to be that complementary piece before an Achilles injury ended his pretty mid season after just one sack in eight games.
Even further, Sweat will be 30 years old when the 2026 season kicks off so the Bears aren’t going to be able to run him as their entire pass rush indefinitely.
If the Bears can slide back a few spots, add a pick, and still land Parker? That’s a move Ryan Poles should take the call on.
They need someone developing on the other side. Someone who can take snaps, learn the system, and grow into a legitimate second option.
Sure T.J. Parker isn’t a finished product. His counter moves need work. He can lose his balance when he tries to escape blockers, and he was late to recognize cut blocks in college. Those are real things to address.
But the foundation is there, the length is there, and the motor has never been a question. And for a Bears defense that finished 22nd in sacks and 29th in pressure rate last season, adding a high effort rookie edge while securing more draft capital feels like a no-brainer.