When off-season priorities come up for the Chicago Bears, most fans will agree that Justin Fields is central to everything. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus must do all in their power to upgrade the offensive roster around their talented young quarterback. Better receivers, better offensive line, Papa John’s. It is a perfectly rational thought process. This team isn’t going to compete with the big boys until their quarterback is armed enough to do so. However, there is one reason to think the biggest resources will be reserved for elsewhere.
That is the defensive line. This may frustrate certain fans. This organization has prioritized defense over helping its quarterbacks for too many years. However, there is a viable reason this time around. It’d be one thing if the Bears’ front four were slightly undermanned. That isn’t the case here. Barring something unexpected, there is a strong likelihood that the 2022 Bears defensive line will go down as the worst in franchise history. Here is one stat to help illustrate why.
Not only have they contributed to a run defense that ranks 30th in the NFL, allowing 151.2 yards per game. They have one sack in the past nine games. One. They have 8.5 for the season. For context, 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa has 17.5 by himself. Go back and watch the game against Buffalo on Sunday. It is absurd how many times quarterback Josh Allen could’ve taken naps in the pocket without fear of pressure.
Ryan Poles has to fix that defensive line.
It is the engine that drives the entire scheme Eberflus and his staff brought to Chicago. A 4-3 defense is useless without a front four that can generate pressure. One could easily make the case they need three new starters, including two defensive ends and a proper three-technique defensive tackle. Justin Jones has been their most consistent presence, but he isn’t a star. They need at least one blue-chip talent. The good news is they’ll have a chance to land one next spring. Chicago has over $100 million in cap space and should end up with at least a top four pick in the 2023 draft.
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There will be viable options. Free agent defensive tackles Da’Ron Payne and Dre’Mont Jones could fill the three-technique requirements. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue would be an immediate upgrade at defensive end. Then there are the exciting dual options of Will Anderson and Jalen Carter at the top of the draft. Both are considered generational-type talents. If Ryan Poles could land two of those five names, the Bears defensive line will be in a far better place going into 2023. As always, he’ll need some good luck to make that happen.
