The Chicago Bears are one week away from beginning their 2022 season against the San Francisco 49ers at home. This past week, general manager Ryan Poles finalized Chicago’s 53-man roster ahead of their Week 1 game. Poles made a prominent addition when the Bears claimed former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Armon Watts off waivers, adding significant depth and talent to a defensive line that suddenly looks more intimating than before.
The Bears’ Defensive Line Will Have An Opportunity To Make Plays
Chicago’s defensive line will feature Robert Quinn, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Trevis Gibson, and Dominique Robinson at the defensive end positions, with Watts, Justin Jones, Angelo Blackson, and Mike Pennel Jr at the defensive tackle position. A good amount of the Bears’ defensive linemen have experience in the league and have generated sacks over their careers.
#Chiefs QB Shane Buechele is sacked on 1st down by #Bears defensive end Dominique Robinson, who had a free lane to the sack. pic.twitter.com/IWtvRlwWQB
— Devon Clements (@DevclemNFL) August 13, 2022
The Bears’ most important player on the defensive line will be Quinn, who last season broke the franchise record for most sacks in a season with 18.5. The Pro Bowl defensive end will be Chicago’s most prominent pass rusher this season, but his production could be limited as Poles could trade him later in the season for potential draft picks. On the other side of Quinn will be Muhammad and Gibson, both players in 2021 combined for 13 sacks.
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Although the Bears’ defensive ends can generate sacks, there were concerns about the team’s defensive tackles and whether or not they would be able to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Jones last season with the Chargers recorded three sacks while Blackson with Chicago recorded 2.5. The addition of Watts helps significantly as the former Viking had 5 sacks in 2021 in nine starts with Minnesota. He is seen as a rising talent and was only let go by his former team because he didn’t fit their new 3-4 defensive scheme.
New Bears DT Armon Watts crushing Lamar Jackson
— Max Markham (@MaxMarkhamNFL) August 31, 2022
New head coach Matt Eberflus is implementing a Cover-2 defensive scheme this season as pass rush pressure is generated from the defensive line most of the time as linebackers are assigned to defend against the pass. Although new defensive coordinator Alan Williams has featured a few blitzes with linebackers and cornerbacks this preseason, it will be up to the Bears’ defensive line to pressure the opposing quarterback a majority of the time.
One of the promising aspects of Chicago’s defense in 2022 will be the team’s new secondary featuring rookie safety Jaquan Brisker and cornerback Kyler Gordon. The rookies will start with veteran cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Eddie Jackson. If the Bears’ secondary can provide good pass coverage, this will force opposing quarterbacks to hold on to the ball a little longer, giving the defensive line more opportunities to create sacks.
If Chicago features a defensive line composed of Quinn, Watts, Jones, and Muhammad, the team will feature four players that combined last season for over 32.5 sacks. Having an experienced defensive front to pair with a quality secondary gives the Bears defense components that can work well with one another. The secondary can help enable the defensive line to convert on coverage sacks, but vice versa, the defensive line is creating instant and consistent pressure on quarterbacks. The threat of pass-rushing pressure could lead to interceptions for the secondary coming off of forced throws.
The 1st interception of Jaylon Johnson’s career came this past year off of Joe Burrow.
Burrow had previously thrown 199 passes without an interception. #TurnoverTuesday | @NBAxJay1 pic.twitter.com/HWw8FIvBXq
— Bear Down Blog (@BearDown_Blog) March 22, 2022
Quinn’s Presence Will Allow For More Opportunities For Others On The Line
Opposing offenses playing against the Bears will game plan against Quinn and dedicate multiple blockers to stop the former All-Pro defensive end from sacking their quarterback. The additional blocking assignments focused on the Bears’ best pass-rusher will free up others on the line to make plays. Muhammad and Gibson should be able to capitalize on the one-on-one blocking coverage they will likely receive due to Quinn being double-teamed or chipped.
Poles’ addition of Watts gives Chicago’s defensive line a much-needed interior pass-rushing threat as Jones will likely contribute more in stopping the run than assisting in pressuring the opposing quarterback. Having an interior lineman capable of sacking the quarterback creates a situation where if Quinn and Muhammad force opposing quarterbacks to step up in the pocket, the Bears’ new defensive tackle can collapse the passing pocket from the inside.
Quick ranking of my favorite #Bears waiver additions.
1. Armon Watts
Defensive tackle is a big concern for me, especially given its importance in this defense.
The Vikings handing us a 26-year-old with 5 sacks and 33 pressures last year.
Amazing stroke of luck.
— Erik Lambert (@ErikLambert1) September 2, 2022
Having Watts on the line now makes a significant difference in Chicago’s pass rush capabilities as it provides just another option to generate pressure outside of Quinn. One of the Bears’ recurring issues while All-Pro Khalil Mack was with the team from 2018 to 2021 was that no one took advantage of the blocking coverage paid to Mack. Most of Quinn’s sacks last season came after the linebacker was sidelined for the season with a foot injury. Heading into this season, Chicago has a group of pass-rushers capable of generating pressure on their own but will receive aid from a returning defensive end who had 18.5 sacks last season.
Poles has done a tremendous job in quietly finding credible talent to provide Chicago’s defensive line with veteran talent. Although little is expected from the Bears’ defense this season, their general manager has put his defense in a position to be respectable and not be a potential weakness for the team heading into the 2022 season. Chicago’s defensive line isn’t the best front in the NFL, but they have a chance to be a good one due to the recent addition of Watts this past week.
I wish people would realize that the Ogunjobi issue with the Bears made it possible for the Steelers to force the 1 year prove it deal. Had he not failed the physical with the Bears, that would never have been an option. Who knows if that type of deal was discussed with the Bears or not. But once he discovered no one was going to offer a huge deal to a guy that failed his physical, it changed how teams looked at him. No way is that a fail for Poles, IMHO. If the guy has physical issues from his… Read more »
A Watts is going to be a force in this DL, he is going to be playing with a huge chip on his shoulder after being discarded by the Vikings so blatantly after being one of the brightest stars during their pre-season play. The kid has talent, is tough and tenacious, and is a load for opposing OLs. He reminds me of a young A Hicks. Watts, Quinn, Gipson, and Muhammad will be productive and generate pressure, sacks, and create interceptions all season long. Quinn may not reach 18 sacks this year, but the team will exceed last season’s sack… Read more »
“Amazing stroke of luck” seems to be an understatement, considering the facts surrounding Ryan Poles’ deconstruction of the Bears’ deepest position group: the D-Line. Poles started by trading the Bears’ most accomplished player, Khalil Mack, the only astute move in the bunch, that also included: disinterest in Aikiem Hicks and Bilal Nichols,.the retirement of Eddie Goldman; the release of Mario Edwards and the flubbed opportunity that Larry Ogunjobi’s 1-year, $8 million “prove-it” deal with the Steelers demonstrated. But, here comes Armon Watts, and his 5 sacks from 2021, to save the day! It seems that Ryan Poles somehow won the… Read more »
I have to wonder/compare how the 3-tech we tried to sign (he failed physical) and Watts?
I’m thinking Watts may be the better option.