It’s not even going to take a quarterback or any offensive player but one key defensive player to push the Bears over the top
The 75 to 80 percent issue was bound to come up during questions Bears General Manager Ryan Poles received several days after the season concluded.
Following roster cuts, Poles told the media that his team’s talent was 75–80% of what it needed to be.
Poles had to know that the same question would be asked and that he would be asked how far they still had to go to be truly competitive after a 7–10 year period during which the defense improved at the end of the season.
Poles, tiptoeing as best he could, added, “I want to go through the tape from the whole year and get with my front office on that, but it’s getting smaller, which is good.”
Although it may sound like wild speculation, the Bears have a player that has the ability to push them to the top of the NFC North right now.
It’s not William Caleb. It is tough to see how he would be significantly better than Justin Fields, at least in his first season. It’s not Marvin Harrison Jr., though he would undoubtedly be helpful given that DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, the tight end, and Darnell Mooney were the only receivers with fewer than two receptions each week in the wide corps.
They need to find someone more skilled at doing this, but it’s not even a center. They might need to sign two: a free agent with experience to help with preparation and one to cover until the rookie gets there.
Since they have the funds to sign a free agent, it is expected that they will have an experienced player filling the role. Dan Feeney and Lucas Patrick, who were there last season, are unrestricted free agents, while guard/center Cody Whitehair may be subject to a cap reduction. It has to be done by someone, and they’ll be trying to add someone who is at least competent. That would represent a significant increase over the previous few seasons.
Nor is the important addition an offensive player.
Develop a Strength to Take the Lead
To exert pressure on quarterbacks, the Bears require an additional defensive end or tackle. Ideally, a tackle would be used.
The inner pressure concept was introduced last year, but it never took off to the point where it could rival Montez Sweat.
Chris Jones, a free agent from Kansas City Chiefs, is a defensive tackle who can instantly turn the Bears into a contender for the postseason.
The Bears have already positioned their defense to shut down opponents in the NFC North, something that many other teams may be able to claim. At the end of the season, Eberflus made a number of remarks regarding the defense’s successes.
“Defensively the last eight games, first in the league in scoring defense, that was really good to see the guys come together that way,” Eberflus stated. “For the last eight games, we ranked fifth in the league for rush defense. We are really happy of our first-place QBR (defensive quarterback rating) in the league, in addition to our interceptions. Our defense had excellent ball hawking and interception skills.
The turnover margin is then the most crucial set. How come our last eight record was 5-3? Actually, it was the margin of turnover. Plus-12 is the temperature. At that point, it ranks second in the NFL. Therefore, those are all effective strategies I discuss with the players, and that’s what they are as well, which is evidence and advancement that our work in that area has been successful.”
Just one of the final six opponents scored more than 17 points, indicating that the Bears defense was poised to take the lead. That was Cleveland’s performance in a 20-17 defeat that the Bears conceded after taking a 17-7 third-quarter lead.
A defensive tackle who is among the best in the league, like Jones, would be ideal to push the defense over the top.
The 6-foot-6, 310-pound player, who has made five first- or second-team All-Pro teams and five Pro Bowl appearances, is performing at a level comparable to Aaron Donald. Because he can play end or tackle, as well as run and pass, he’s a fantastic fit for this defense.
What Sweat has been for the edge, Jones might be for the inside of the defense.
Following 15 1/2 sacks the previous season, Jones recorded 39 pressures, 17 quarterback knockdowns, and 10 1/2 sacks in 16 games this season.
Since his first season in 2016, he has not recorded fewer than 6 1/2 sacks.
With the Chiefs, Jones has improved others in the same way that Sweat did in Chicago—a multiplier effect. George Karlaftis of Kansas City has had six and a half sacks in his first two seasons because stopping Jones has taken up so much of the focus.
The defensive line struggled to get to Jordan Love during the Bears’ season-ending game against Green Bay. After DeMarcus Walker’s in the first quarter, they were down to one sack. There was no mistaking Love’s poor throw-away performance in the NFC Championship Game. The Bears have to match the Green Bay offense in this manner. Blitzing won’t work for them.
It will be challenging to counter the defense’s left edge and center of the line pressure. It won’t be easy to step up into the pocket and throw.
Jones would be driving from the middle of the line, so Sweat would never be up against double teams.
Problems exist, of course.
Next season, at 30, that might scare some people.
Instead of signing him for a seven-year contract, they would do it for three or four years. Even at the ages of 33 or 34, a superb defensive tackle can still be quite useful. When he won defensive player of the year, Reggie White was 37 years old.
Kansas City might destroy everything this year by tagging Jones once more. They signed him to a one-year contract with numerous incentives after doing so the previous year.
According to Overthecap.com, the Chiefs are expected to have $24 million available under the cap; but, they will also need to pay cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, which will also be costly. Given that Sneed is only 27 years old, it would appear that one of those two would be out of her price range.
This week at the Super Bowl, General Manager Brett Veach told reporters, “It’s extremely hard because you have two keystone players there.”