Larry Ogunjobi failing his physical was not the news Chicago Bears fans wanted to hear on Friday. Yet that was the reality they were faced with. GM Ryan Poles wasn’t willing to take a chance on such a medical red flag. So the team was forced to pivot. It appears they had a backup plan in place. Mere minutes after the Ogunjob news went public, the Bears reached an agreement with free agent defensive tackle Justin Jones.
A former 3rd round pick in 2018, he spent the past four seasons as a backup who worked his way into the starting lineup. Last season was the best of his career, finishing with three sacks and 18 QB pressures in 11 games. His disruption ability as an interior defender no doubt fits what head coach Matt Eberflus wants from the three-technique position. While not as proven as Ogunjobi, he is three years younger and will likely come considerably cheaper.
DL Justin Jones is signing with the #Bears on a two-year deal, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 18, 2022
Welcome back, Justin Jones. pic.twitter.com/daCgqWjkhw
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) November 4, 2021
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I thought the Chargers run defense rebounded nicely after last week's meltdown. @danielrpopper told me to watch for Justin Jones (#93) coming back–watch him here….. pic.twitter.com/OKAHPdO11W
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) January 3, 2022
The primary issue teams had with Jones was his size.
At 6’3 he isn’t overly big for a defensive tackle. However, he makes up for that with good power and a relentless motor. His tape also shows somebody that understands the vital importance of hand-fighting for defensive linemen. That is why he is often able to create pressure despite not being the most explosive DT. It is also fair to wonder if the Chargers did enough to maximize his skillset as an interior disruptor.
That won’t be an issue with Matt Eberflus. The Bears head coach is known for his ability to work to the strengths of his players. He’ll know exactly what Justin Jones does best and how to deploy those strengths. While this isn’t Aaron Donald Chicago is getting, he should at least be an adequate contributor with more upside to explore. This Tampa-2 defense is likely the absolute best he could enter in terms of scheme fit.
