The Chicago Bears defense is back where it belongs. Ruling over the rest of the NFL, striking fear into every offense it comes across. Full credit for its construction belongs to GM Ryan Pace. This man arrived in 2015 with nothing but a vision. He knew what he wanted this team to look like. At the same time, he also knew the franchise he was taking over. Chicago has always been a defensive city. Their teams tend to be at their best when driven by a great defense.
So over the course of the next five offseasons, Pace set about with a purpose to build one they could be proud of. It wasn’t always easy. There were mistakes and setbacks. A number of unfortunate strokes of bad luck. Yet the man persevered, never letting up in his pursuit of more talent. He was smart but aggressive and before people knew it, the team had something special on its hands. Something fans haven’t seen in over a decade. Perhaps longer.
Now the Bears stand here. Fifth in total defense. Second in points allowed. Third in takeaways. Second in sacks. Just an absolute juggernaut. What exactly went into its construction? Well here is the entire timeline. Who was acquired and when all the way up to the present day. It should provide a fairly stark reminder of how painstaking the process can be in building something great in the NFL.
Ryan Pace needed 25 moves to construct this defense
May 1st, 2015: Drafted Eddie Goldman
The foundation of great defenses always have a notable starting point, and it usually takes place up front. Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” started with Joe Greene. The ’85 Bears started with Dan Hampton. Minnesota’s “Purple People Eaters” started with Alan Page. This defense is no different and it began when Pace selected Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman in the 2nd round of the 2015 draft.
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Dick Butkus announced the pick, even saying he liked the choice before stating the name. That was as big a stamp of approval as one could get. Time has proven Butkus wise. Goldman became one of the best nose tackles in the NFL and the lynchpin to the Bears’ dominating run defense the past two years.
March 9th, 2016: Signed Danny Trevathan
Pace knew that his defense needed talent but also leadership. Trevathan brought both. An athletic linebacker with unmatched intangibles, he’d just got done playing on an all-time great defense in 2015 with the Denver Broncos. He seemed like the perfect choice to come in and help set the standard and expectations for what the Bears wanted their defense to be. The man has been a steady and guiding presence ever since, not to mention a tremendously underrated football player.
March 10th, 2016: Re-signed Sherrick McManis
McManis has always been known for his special teams prowess, but he’s also made his share of plays on defense whenever called upon. Since being re-signed in 2016, he has an interception, four passes defended, a fumble recovery, a sack, and 28 tackles. The guy is truly the Old Reliable of this depth chart.
March 13th, 2016: Signed Akiem Hicks
Hicks was little more than an intriguing second wave free agent in 2016. He’d been traded by New Orleans in 2015 to the Patriots where he had a nice little run with them during the second half of the year. Rather than return there, he wanted to strike out on his own. Pace, knowing what he was capable of since he’d helped the Saints drafted the defensive lineman, brought him in on a relatively cheap two-year deal.
It has proven to be one of the great steals in Bears free agency history. In 48 games, Hicks has 120 tackles, 24 sacks, 56 quarterback hits, and five forced fumbles. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2018. The true beating heart of that defensive line.
April 28th, 2016: Drafted Leonard Floyd
Pace took a considerable risk when he drafted Floyd. Not only did he trade up in the 1st round to do so, surrendering a 4th round pick, but he selected a player that wasn’t known for his pass rushing skill. He was more a freakish athlete with all the tools and none of the polish. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
Floyd suffered a number of injury setbacks since his rookie year and has just 17.5 sacks in 42 games. That said, his value goes deeper. Not only is he a solid run defender, he also may be one of the best coverage outside linebackers in the league.
April 30th, 2016: Drafted Nick Kwiatkoski
Kwiatkoski reminded everybody of his value when he posted nine tackles and a sack against Minnesota. He isn’t quite the athlete he needs to be to thrive long-term as a starter, but there are few better backups a team could ask for. The kid is smart, tough, aggressive, and reliable. He gives it everything he has whenever his number is called. Great defenses need good depth.
April 30th, 2016: Drafted Deon Bush
Bush could be called the Bears’ safety version of Kwiatkoski. A former 4th round pick who never quite developed into a starter but has since become a serviceable backup and good special teams player. He’s tough and physical on the back end and shows prowess as a blitzer. He also showed in the 2019 preseason that his coverage skills improved.
April 30th, 2016: Drafted DeAndre Houston-Carson
He’s rarely seen the field in his career outside of special teams, but it wouldn’t be fair to go without mentioning Houston-Carson. He had two forced fumbles in 2017 and made 10 tackles last year. The guy is a decent reserve who can make a play if given a chance. Pretty good return for a 6th rounder.
May 9th, 2016: Signed Roy Robertson-Harris
What a find this has turned out to be. Pace scooped Robertson-Harris out of Texas-San Antonio as an undrafted free agent. All anybody really knew about him was he stood 6’7 and once ran down a running back 90 yards down the field. This indicated he was a rare athlete for his size. Perhaps with proper coaching, he might become something.
The Bears ended up putting weight on him, shifted him to defensive end and he’s since become one of the best rotational 3-4 pass rushers in football. In the past 20 games, he has 5.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits.
March 10th, 2017: Signed Prince Amukamara
A former 1st round, Amukamara had an up-and-down career that spanned stints with the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars. Though he won a Super Bowl with the former, he suffered from injury setbacks and also wasn’t overly productive. Still, the Bears liked his mental makeup and his coverage prowess. He also liked their defensive system. It seemed like a good match.
Now 19 games later, the veteran has three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and 16 passes defended while missing only one game.
April 29th, 2017: Drafted Eddie Jackson
Several teams weren’t willing to take a risk on Jackson. They felt his body wouldn’t hold up to the NFL. He was too skinny. Not to mention he was coming out of Alabama with a broken leg. That didn’t stop Pace. He traded up in the 4th round to grab the young safety. Those teams are kicking themselves for that mistake. Jackson has eight interceptions and five defensive touchdowns already in 34 games, earning him All-Pro honors. Teams are warier than ever throwing in his direction and it’s making life easier for teammates.
May 11th, 2017: Signed Isaiah Irving
Another of those fringe reserve players who never gets the spotlight but does his share of the grunt work when asked. Irving was an undrafted find out of San Jose State. He’s nothing flashy. Yet he plays every snap hard and does his best to not be a liability. That’s why he’s stuck around for three years.
March 15th, 2018: Signed Aaron Lynch
He’s not exactly the greatest as rotational pass rushers go, but Lynch also isn’t the worst. He came in on a cheap deal in 2018 and provided some nice plays from time to time. Through 17 games he has four sacks, nine QB hits, and an interception. He’s also steady against the run, not prone to missing tackles.
March 16th, 2018: Re-signed Kyle Fuller
One of the great comeback stories in Bears history. Looked like a lost cause by the end of 2016, having suffered through inconsistent play and then a knee injury. Then he rebounded in 2017 with a solid year, and that was enough to convince Pace he was worth signing long-term. Fuller now has nine interceptions and 26 passes defended in his last 20 games. He is one of the most complete corners in the league.
April 19th, 2018: Signed Nick Williams
Pace has shown a knack over the years for finding quality contributors in low places. Williams was an unknown who’d bounced between three teams prior to trying out for the Bears in 2018. He secured a job, kept his roster spot and began to turn that into a regular spot on the rotation by 2019. Now he has four sacks in the past three games. Sometimes all a guy needs is a chance.
April 26th, 2018: Drafted Roquan Smith
Recent bizarre absence aside, Smith has turned into exactly what the Bears hoped: an athletic tackling machine. The former 8th overall pick is all over the field making plays. He can run, tackle, sack the quarterback or drop into coverage and snag interceptions. This young man looks like a future All-Pro provided whatever he’s currently going through isn’t too serious.
April 28th, 2018: Drafted Joel Iyiegbuniwe
His primary contributions to this point are on special teams but Iyiegbuniwe has shown flashes of what he can be on defense. He’s athletic, fast, and particularly good when allowed to blitz the quarterback. There are still a lot of things for him to learn. As a backup though, he’s proven more than adequate.
April 28th, 2018: Drafted Bilal Nichols
It was such a shame seeing Nichols break his hand early in the season because he was starting to look like a highly capable starter. He caught a lot of people by surprise as a rookie 5th round pick last year, notching three sacks and five tackles for a loss. His potential remains limitless once he’s able to get healthy.
May 10th, 2018: Signed Kevin Toliver
As yet he hasn’t played in 2019, but Toliver at least proved he’s worthwhile depth last year with 16 tackles and two passes defended. For an undrafted free agent, he’s shown a lot of potential. It remains to be seen if the coaches can get that out of him.
June 7th, 2018: Signed Josh Woods
Another of those great underdog stories. Undrafted out of Maryland in 2018, Woods battled his way up from the practice squad onto the main roster this year. He hasn’t quite cracked the defensive lineup yet but he’s making waves on special teams. With several names becoming free agents next year, his opportunity looms.
September 1st, 2018: Traded for Khalil Mack
Time could prove this to be the signature move of Pace’s career. The NFL world was shaken to its foundation when the Oakland Raiders allowed themselves to willingly let one of the best pass rushers in a generation be had for two 1st round picks and three other picks in return for two picks. Mack transformed the Bears defense overnight into one of the best in football.
In 18 games, the man has managed 17 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 22 quarterback hits, 12 tackles for a loss, and an interception for a touchdown. He is a terror that quarterback and coaches lose sleep over before games. A probable future Hall of Famer that Pace likely got for a bargain.
March 13th, 2019: Signed Buster Skrine
Skrine took on the difficult task of replacing fan favorite Bryce Callahan at nickel corner. While he hasn’t provided any big plays to this point, he’s been a steady contributor in coverage and provided a strong element as a blitzer. He also has proven quite durable, something the Bears didn’t have with Callahan.
March 14th, 2019: Signed Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Like Skrine with Callahan, safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was signed to replace departed veteran Adrian Amos. Unlike Skrine, he’s already started making plays. His two interceptions including one for a touchdown were key to the Bears’ victory in Washington over the Redskins. His playmaking skill, experience, and leadership were all things they coveted. To get him for $3 million? That was an added bonus from Pace.
April 27th, 2019: Drafted Duke Shelley
The 6th round pick showed a lot of promise in the preseason. He’s only played six snaps so far as a rookie though. He has the skills to be a future starter in the NFL. The best thing for him to do is sit back and learn everything he can from what he’s witnessing.
May 8th, 2019: Signed Kevin Pierre-Louis
Pierre-Louis is, to date, the final addition to this defense. A longtime NFL veteran, he was likely kept aboard for his established special teams reputation. However, he surprised a number of people by making four tackles in the win over Minnesota. So he’s far from a one-role player. He can be called upon in an emergency to play some defense.
