People will keep talking about Justin Fields and the offense. That isn’t anything new. Quarterbacks always get the attention. However, much of what the Chicago Bears accomplish in 2023 will hinge on their defense. They couldn’t pressure the quarterback last year and were second-worst in the NFL against the run. It isn’t surprising GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus spent tons of resources this off-season on improving the unit. What nobody can say is how much they did will have an impact.
In these situations, the best thing to do is analyze how the depth chart is constructed. Based on its current makeup, the 2023 defense is starting to resemble another unit Eberflus coached. That was the 2018 Indianapolis Colts. It was a group that showcased its strengths against the run thanks to a stout linebacking corps and a big, physical secondary. Their lone weakness was the pass rush. Indy had only 38 sacks that season, with 12 coming from blitzing linebackers and defensive backs.
This Bears defense is constructed in a similar fashion.
Matt Eberflus has seen this before.
Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards headline a much-improved linebacking corps that displays tons of versatility. Jaylon Johnson, Eddie Jackson, Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker, and rookie Tyrique Stevenson form an athletic and physical secondary. Couple that with an interior defensive front infused with two hulks in Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter, and this team should be far better at stopping the run. The problem lay with the pass rush. DeMarcus Walker had seven sacks last season. He should help with that, but the Bears didn’t add anybody else of note this off-season.
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Unless that changes, it’s a reasonable assumption this team may have to blitz more often than they’d like to generate pass rush. That means the scheme won’t always work as intended. Still, if the Bears play like that Matt Eberflus unit five years ago, it would be a significant improvement from where they were last year. They’re younger, deeper, tougher, and faster. They aren’t a finished product, just like that 2018 group. If this defense reaches similar accomplishments, the Bears are going to win some games.
