General manager Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears may need to go bargain shopping in free agency this offseason.

One year removed from a bombastic offseason makeover along the offensive line that included trading for All-Pro Joe Thuney, and signing top free agent center Drew Dalman, Poles and Chicago may need to look for more affordable deals to improve a defense with some key holes to fill in the months ahead.

Since the Bears are currently $5 million over the cap, this offseason may be more about precision and smart spending than adding big names at big contracts.

Linebacker Nakobe Dean could be an ideal fit for the Chicago Bears

Linebacker is a pressing need for the Bears, and that’s before even considering the possibility that Chicago could move on from veteran Tremaine Edmunds to create cap space.

If Poles and the Bears are shopping for short-term contracts for free agents with massive upside, Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean could be a perfect fit to watch for Chicago.

As NFL Media’s Kevin Patra points out, Dean could be poised to be one of the biggest bargains of the offseason.

“The former third-round pick owns the type of athleticism and playmaking that could get him paid this offseason,” Patra writes of Dean. “In four seasons in Philly, the off-ball linebacker proved he could get after the quarterback (7.5 sacks) and patrol the middle of the field. However, an extensive injury history could curtail his payday.

“The defender hasn’t played a full slate since 2017, missing 21 missed regular-season games over the past three seasons alone, and was out for most of Philly’s Super Bowl run in 2024. Teams generally shy away from spending big on players with long-term durability questions, which could put Dean on a short-term prove-it path.”

Injuries could certainly keep Dean’s price down, but the former Georgia standout has posted 110 total tackles with seven sacks and one interception oveer the past two seasons.

Playing in coordinator Dennis Allen’s attack-style defense that emphasizes strong linebacker play, Dean could be a great fit on a one-year contract to give the Bears’ defense a jolt and potentially play his way into a lucrative long-term contract in Chicago or elsewhere next offseason.

The post Chicago Bears’ bargain bin free agent target could explode in Dennis Allen’s defense appeared first on ChiCitySports.

After the Chicago Bears took care of business by defeating the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round (31-27), they will turn their focus to the Los Angeles Rams to try to advance to their first Conference Championship game since 2010.

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Facing the likely MVP in quarterback Matthew Stafford and two great wide receivers, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, who Bears’ defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said, “It’s going to take an exceptional effort on our part to give ourselves a chance,” when talking to the Chicago Sun-Times about game planning for the two wideouts.

“You come away from there thoroughly impressed,” Allen said of Nacua. “He runs as fast as he needs to to get the job done. He’s big, he’s physical. He catches everything that’s remotely close to him and he’s tremendous with the run after the catch. I just think he does everything that you want a receiver to be able to do.”

The Chicago Bears and Dennis Allen will have their work cut out for them in containing Puka Nacua and Davante Adams

Allen and the Bears will have their work cut out for them when facing the third-best offense this postseason (411.0 yards) and Stafford (304 yards), who is 57 yards behind Caleb Williams (361 yards) and has just one interception to Williams two. The Bears, sadly, have not performed well when protecting against the pass (second-worst, 322.0 yards), which will need to turn around if they’re to advance.

Nacua is coming off his second 1,000+ yard season in his career (1,715 yards), while Adams proved to be a solid second option for Stafford to turn to (789 yards). Forcing the Rams to run the ball, which has proven to be their weakness so far (fifth, 116.0 yards), should be Allen’s game plan to shut down the Rams’ offense.

The Bears and the Rams will meet on Sunday, Jan. 18, and play at 6:30 Eastern on NBC Peacock.

The post Chicago Bears DC Dennis Allen will need to be ready to take on the Rams’ two elite WRs appeared first on ChiCitySports.

In three days the Chicago Bears will be facing their rival the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs. This marks the Bears’ first playoff appearance in five years.

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In order for the team to pull off their second win of the season against the Packers, the defense needs to stay in control and contain the explosive plays.

Specifically, the secondary was a major struggle in week 18’s loss over the eliminated Detroit Lions. It’s clear that the secondary needs an additional boost of help.

Thankfully, Dennis Allen seemed to pretty much confirm the return of his star nickel cornerback.

The Chicago Bears DC gave a major update on Kyler Gordon

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According to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, Dennis Allen confirmed that Kyler Gordon will be be apart of the game plan going into Saturday’s historic showdown with the Packers.

Dennis Allen on Kyler Gordon: "Our plan is to have him be a part of it (the game plan vs. Green Bay)."

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) January 7, 2026

The star slot corner was set to return in week 14 but he aggravated his injury during pregame warmups prior to the first game against the Packers.

Gordon has only played in three games this season due to his lower body injuries. However, the defense does better when he is on the field.

With CJ Gardner-Johnson going down with a concussion and the rest of the secondary playing bad football, Gordon will be an immediate boost to this defense at the perfect time.

If Gordon feels well at practice Wednesday and Thursday, it looks like the highest paid slot corner in the league will be back on the field this Saturday night.

The post Chicago Bears defensive coordinator gives massive update on Kyler Gordon appeared first on ChiCitySports.

As soon as the Chicago Bears’ defense begins to look healthy, it continues to go downhill. The Chicago Bears are now dealing with three very key injuries right before Week 12’s pivotal matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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The team has now confirmed the game status of starting linebackers TJ Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, and Noah Sewell. The Bears are going to be in a very deep hole against a good Steelers team.

The Chicago Bears will be without all three starting linebackers against the Pittsburgh Steelers

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The Bears confirmed via their injury report on X, that all three starting linebackers will not play on Sunday. Edwards has dealt with a broken hand and a lingering hamstring issue. Sewell is now out with an elbow injury as well.

The biggest blow is losing Edmunds. Edmunds is on the verge of a pro bowl caliber season and is tied with Bears cornerback Nashon Wright for the second most interceptions in the NFL.

This now leaves only DeMarco Jackson and rookie Ruben Hyppolite as the only options at linebacker for the Bears. There’s a chance that Amen Ogbongbemia might get meaningful reps as well.

#Bears Friday Injury Report pic.twitter.com/FGsLSftEjQ

— Bears Communications (@BearsPR) November 21, 2025

It seems more likely that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will run a lot of nickel defense to hopefully make it easier for the Bears’ defense.

Hopefully the Bears could get either Jaylon Johnson or Kyler Gordon able to play, which would be a major boost for the secondary at least.

The post Chicago Bears lose all three starting linebackers for Week 12 appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Dennis Allen’s arrival as Chicago Bears defensive coordinator was heralded as a major addition and potential culture-changer for first-year head coach Ben Johnson.

Allen not only deploys an attack-style defense but also has previous head coaching experience from his time with the New Orleans Saints, and his fingerprints are already all over a Bears’ defense that isn’t just punching above its weight but creating short fields for Caleb Williams and the offense in the biggest spots of games, so far this season.

In addition to importing his scheme and the leadership Allen has added to the defense, one of his position coaches is not just crafting a strong resumè to become a coordinator of his own defense in the near future but leading the charge of a defensive renaissance for the Bears.

Chicago Bears’ defensive backs leading the NFL in interceptions

Al Harris’ fingerprints are all over a Bears secondary that is off to a dominant start to the season.

Through the Bears’ first 10 games of the season, Chicago boasts three of the NFL leaders in interceptions, with Kevin Byard first in the league with five, linebacker Tremeine Edmunds and cornerback Nahshon Wright are tied for second in the NFL, with four apiece.

All told, Bears defensive backs have pulled down 11 interceptions so far this season.

Harris is clearly emphasizing ball-skills out of the defensive backs, and the Bears’ ability to post a league-best turnover differential at +16 has made it easier both for the offense to come up big in big spots but also for quarterback Caleb Williams to be in a position to take big steps in his development because his buttressed by such a swarming and opportunistic defense.

If the Bears can keep up this pace, Harris’ profile is going to be raised significantly this offseason, and Chicago’s defense just might become a driving force behind an ahead of schedule playoff run.

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The Chicago Bears will look to have their second three game winning-streak on Sunday when they travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings for the second time this season. Playing the Vikings for the second time will mark the first time that first-year head coach Ben Johnson will be facing a divisional opponent for the second time in the same season. Sunday’s game will be vital to see how Johnson as a head coach is able to make corrections and is to capitalize on weaknesses seen from Vikings during their first matchup earlier this season.

Ben Johnson will have his first opportunity to deploy corrections playing a divisional opponent for the second time in a year

Ben Johnson’s head coaching debut came against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 of this year on Monday Night football, in a game that the Bears were expected to win. Despite having control of the contest through the first three quarters, Chicago’s defense allowed 21 points, including a passing and rushing touchdown to opposing quarterback J.J. McCarthey, who was making his NFL debut. Despite Johnson’s offense scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, Chicago’s offensive unit would struggle throughout most of the game to sustain drives and score touchdowns, as they didn’t score until their final drive.

Now, ten weeks later, all eyes will be on Ben Johnson to see if his offense with quarterback Caleb Williams can correct their mistakes from week 1 and look to take advantage against a Vikings team that could be playing for their playoff hopes on Sunday. The main focus will be on Johnson to see how he counteracts the defensive scheme set forth by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, as the two play-callers have built a semi-rivalry over the last few years. Flores is known throughout the league for his strong defensive unit that relies immensely on blitzing the opposing quarterback, while deploying exotic pass-coverage schemes on top of that.

Dating back to Johnson’s time as the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, the offensive play-caller has faced off against Flores’ defense five times since 2023. In the four games before the 2025 season, Ben Johnson’s offense bested the Vikings’ defense, as they averaged over 30 points and won all four contests. The season-opening loss for Chicago to Minnesota was the first time Flores’ defense held the young play-caller’s offense to less than 30 points, and marked the first time his defense got a win.

One of the more significant struggles for Johnson’s offense during the Week 1 matchup against the Vikings was the rushing offense, as D’Andre Swift was the only running back to record a rushing attempt and only gained 53 rushing yards. Since Chicago’s Week 5 Bye, Ben Johnson has turned around the offensive’s rushing attack, as the unit has been one of the best rushing teams, as they currently rank second in the league in rushing yards. Minnesota’ rushing defense currently ranks in the bottom third in rushing yards allowed.

With the current struggles of Chicago’s pass-defense due in part to a litany of injuries, there is a legitimate chance that Johnson’s offense may have to outduel Minnesota’s offense in a shootout. Ben Johnson could look to neutralize Flores’ defense via play-action and rollout play-designs, trying to either freeze Minnesota’s defense faking a run play or moving Williams out of the pocket to get the ball out in a quick manner. Chicago’s head coach was critical of his passing offense after the team’s Week 1 loss to the Vikings, as there were several throws left on the field that could have altered the outcome of the contest.

Ben Johnson’s capabilities as a final decision-maker will be test against the Vikings

Playing a divisional opponent for the second time as a head coach will be also significant for Ben Johnson to see how he oversees his team as a whole when it comes to making corrects and how he trusts his coaching staff. Although Johnson is the main overseer of Chicago’s offense, it will be intriguing to see what input he provides to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and what he recommends in helping to defend the Vikings’ offense. It will also be interesting to see what transpires with the Bears’ special teams against Minnesota on Sunday, as there were some several crucial mistakes made in the two teams’ first game this year.

Being able to make overall corrections, and not just to the offensive side of the ball, will be important to watch as Johnson’s team still have two more divisional rematches after playing the Vikings the second time this year on Sunday. The Bears will have to play the Green Bay Packers twice in a span of only 13 days and while will have their second divisional game against the Detroit Lions in the 2025 season finale at home on January 4th. The Lions rematch will be vital not just because there will likely be massive playoff implications for Ben Johnson’s team, but also to see if the head coach can rebound after his team was blown out 52-21.

Although Ben Johnson has been a coach within the NFC North since 2022, there is a significant difference from how playing a team a second time in a year is handled as a coordinator and play-caller compared to how it’s handled as a head coach. Johnson in the past may have offered a suggest for what could be deployed in the second game, yet might have been overruled by head coach Dan Campbell, and now as Bears’ head coach is the final decision-maker. That responsibility and ability to make adjustments against divisional foes can be difficult, as previous Chicago’ head coach Matt Eberflus was victorious only twice in rematches against divisional opponents.

Sunday’s rematch against the Minnesota Vikings will be a pivotal moment in Ben Johnson’s young head coaching career, as it will be interesting to see if he can make the necessary adjustments to win. The rematch between the two teams will also give Johnson a chance to win his first divisional contest as a head coach, as his team has lost their first two divisional games of 2025. A win on Sunday against the Vikings will not only increase Chicago’s chance of making the playoffs and having a winning record for the first time since 2018, but also confirm that the franchise has a head coach capable of making vital corrections from previous matchups against divisional opponents.

The post Ben Johnson must show corrections against the Vikings on Sunday appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears have won six games so far during the 2025 regular season, with eight more games left to play and playoff possibilities becoming more and more real. Although the Bears’ defense has struggled at times this year, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has done his best to overcome some significant injuries that have resulted in the loss of several of his most important defenders for a lengthy period of time. One of Allen’s most recent decisions that has been a huge success has been the deployment and utilization of cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson over the last few games, as the cornerback’s presence could have an even bigger impact once others in the defensive secondary return soon.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson is providing a blueprint for what Dennis Allen envisions for his defense

Injuries on the defense has been a consistent and severe dilemma for Chicago this season, as they have lost several key defensive members for multiple games, including cornerback Jaylon Johnson, defensive end Austin Booker, linebacker T.J. Edwards, and slot corner Kyler Gordon. Additionally, Chicago has lost defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo and rookie defensive tackle Shermar Turner for the season with torn ligaments, hampering Allen’s defensive line significantly. The mounting injuries, especially to secondary, led to general manager Ryan Poles signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson, despite his character concern issues.

The reason why Gardner-Johnson was brought in after Chicago’s Week 8 loss to the Ravens, was due to his familiarity with Allen’s defensive scheme and to provide depth to a secondary lacking talent. C.J. Gardner-Johnson had played under Chicago’s current defensive coordinator for three seasons in New Orleans from 2019 to 2021. While with the Saints, the cornerback recorded five interceptions and three sacks under Allen, who often will draw up exotic blitzes using members of the defensive secondary.

In the two games C.J. Gardner-Johnson has played with the Bears, he has recorded three sacks, including a vital sack against Russell Wilson late in Sunday’s win against the New York Giants to force a fourth down. Allen has used Gardner-Johnson in the role that was originally envision for Gordon as the cornerback to rush the opposing quarterback. Chicago’s defensive coordinator has relied more and more on blitzing with his secondary, due to the lack of pass-rush pressure generated by the defensive line outside of Montez Sweat and Austin Booker.

Given that the Bears are still a few games away from getting both Johnson and Gordon, C.J. Gardner-Johnson will still need to be used a blitzer rather than a defender. Gardner as a pass defender could be even more impactful in coverage, as he recorded 13 interceptions, including six with the Philadelphia Eagles last season. It is that ability that can be relied on once Chicago’s defensive players come back from injury, hopefully by the end of November.

Before the potential return of Johnson and Gordon in a few weeks, C.J. Gardner-Johnson will still have a few more opportunities to generate sacks, especially with the upcoming quarterbacks Chicago will face. The Bears will face the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers in their next two games, as J.J. McCarthey and Aaron Rodgers will likely be the starting signal callers. Allen could deploy his veteran cornerback as a blitzer against the Vikings in favorable situations due to McCarthey’s immense inexperience in the NFL and against Rodgers due to his lack of mobility due in part to his age.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson provides Dennis Allen immense flexibility once the defense returns to full strength

Although Chicago’s defense has struggled significantly with their defensive pass coverage as they rank in the bottom third of the NFL in passing yards allowed, the unit could improve immediately once Johnson and Gordon return. Allen will be given immense flexibility in how he deploys his cornerbacks, especially C.J. Gardner-Johnson, as he could be used in blitzes or be dropped back in coverage. Chicago’s defensive coordinator could create immense protection issues for opposing offenses, as Gardner-Johnson and Gordon could be interchanged as blitzers, or even rush the passer at the same time creating a massive issue for an unaware or less mobile quarterback.

Being able to rush either Gordon or Gardner-Johnson, while also having Johnson take away an opposing offense’s top wide receiver, will also boost Chicago’s defensive line pass-rush capabilities. A key feature of Allen’s defensive scheme is to rely on pass-rush pressure from the defensive line or blitzing secondary members to force takeaways. In the two games that C.J. Gardner Johnson has with the Bears’ defense, the unit has force four takeaways, including forcing two quarterback fumbles.

The presence of Gardner-Johnson will free up Chicago’s two best defensive lineman pass-rushers in Sweat and Booker, as the two defensive ends have recorded sacks in the team’s last two games. Chicago’s Pro Bowl pass-rusher has recorded a sack in four consecutive games, including two and a half in the last two weeks. C.J. Gardner Johnson paired with Gordon and Johnson could give Sweat and Booker favorable one-on-one situations against opposing blockers that the defensive linemen should win.

Due to the ongoing injuries in the secondary, Chicago’s pass coverage may continue for the next few weeks, but could immediately improve once several players get healthy. C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s ability to rush the quarterback may give the Bears’ defense just enough to make game-altering plays such as a sack or turnover, which is invaluable in a close-score game. Gardner-Johnson’s presence could have an immense influence in the month of December, even if he isn’t the one making a play directly, but because his returning teammates are making plays due to him being on the field.

The post C.J. Gardner-Johnson role could grow once key defenders return appeared first on ChiCitySports.

After a brutal start to the 2025 season, Dennis Allen might have brought back the monsters of the midway. Through the Chicago Bears’ four game winning streak, the defense has seen a major turnaround. Through the four games, the defense has gotten at least three takeaways. With a depleted pass rush, the Bears have started to finally get to the quarterback. During Sunday’s victory over the Saints, the Bears sacked Spencer Rattler four times and picked him off three times as well.

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Due to the dominating performance, head coach Ben Johnson gave the Bears’ defensive coordinator the game ball following Sunday’s win. Allen called another terrific game for the Bears’ defense. With a secondary that is without Jaylon Johnson, they were still able to get three interceptions and came close to having a couple more.

The Chicago Bears defense are ranking among the top in the NFL in multiple categories

More news: Three takeaways from the Chicago Bears fourth straight win

Following the Bears’ embarassing 30 point loss to the Detroit Lions, the defense has ranked high in multiple categories. They currently rank third in the entire NFL in total yards allowed, fifth in passing yards allowed, and eighth in points allowed. Another huge upside of the defense is they have improved greatly in stopping the run. The Bears were able to stop the run game in both wins over the Commander and Saints. Allen’s defense only allowed 44 rushing yards during Sunday’s win over the Saints.

The #Bears defensive rankings since Week 3.

-Total Yards Allowed: 3rd
-Passing Yards Allowed: 5th
-Rushing Yards Allowed: 12th
-Points Allowed: 8th

Dennis Allen's defense is locked in. pic.twitter.com/tAoH8BhfJY

— Just Another Year Chicago: Bears (@JAYChi_Bears) October 20, 2025

Chicago now leads the NFL with 16 takeaways on the year. Saftey Kevin Byard leads the NFL with four interceptions on the season. The veteran has been a major boost to the defense, especially with Jaylon Johnson being out. Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker staying healthy and making consistent plays has been major for the team. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds is also having a great season, leading all NFL linebackers in interceptions.

The Bears need to build off this momentum and continue dominating on defense. If Lamar Jackson is cleared to play for Baltimore, it’ll be a tough test for Allen and the defense. If they can come out of week 8 with a win, they could very well be a playoff contender in the NFC.

Defense is eating good today

: FOX pic.twitter.com/7dMU8iofAW

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 19, 2025

The Bears have 16 total takeaways through 6 games, 1st in the NFL.

-K.Byard: 4 INT (Leads NFL)
-T. Edmunds: 3 INT (Leads all LBs)
-N. Wright: 2 INT, 1 FR
-M. Sweat: 2 FF
-T. Stevenson: 1 INT, 1 FF, 2 FR
-J. Brisker: 1 INT
-N. Sewell: 1 FF
-G. Dexter: 1 FR
-K. Gordon: 1 FR

pic.twitter.com/xSpiGbIZYO

— Just Another Year Chicago: Bears (@JAYChi_Bears) October 20, 2025

The post The Chicago Bears defense has turned it around appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears have won four straight games for the first time since 2018. Chicago beat the New Orleans Saints 26-14 in a performance that was mainly dominated by Dennis Allen and the Bears’ defense.

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Head coach Ben Johnson has done wonders for this football team. It’s clear if it was any other previous coaching staff, the Bears lose this game. While it was ugly offensively, a win is a win in the NFL. Here are three takeaways from Week 7’s win over the Saints.

Dennis Allen and the Chicago Bears defense are dominating the league

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Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was able to dominate Spencer Rattler and the Saints. The Bears’ defense was able to pressure rattler early, forcing a fumble on the second play of the game. Rattler ended the game with three interceptions and was sacked four times.

This defense has turned around completely following their week 2 collapse in Detroit. Chicago’s defense has had 3 or more takeaways in all four wins this season and leads the NFL in takeaways with 16.

Defense is eating good today

: FOX pic.twitter.com/7dMU8iofAW

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 19, 2025

The pass rush has finally started to see some light, in particular Montez Sweat is finally making plays. The secondary has been playing great football, even without Jaylon Johnson.

The #Bears defense in their four-game winning streak:

• 8 interceptions
• 10 sacks
• 19 PPG allowed
• 11-for-37 on third-down conversions (29.7% rate allowed)
• No 100-yard receivers allowed

Dennis Allen is cooking. pic.twitter.com/csdGAa1Pcp

— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) October 19, 2025

Caleb Williams had one of his worst games as a Bear

It was clear as day that Williams seemed very off on Sunday. The Bears’ quarterback did not throw a touchdown pass, threw for 172 yards, and threw a really bad interception. The passing game clearly needs to improve on all levels.

The biggest issue for the second-year quarterback was consistency. Williams took too long to throw on multiple plays, missed simple layup plays, and was often inaccurate. These games do happen, however Williams needs to turn it around next week facing an angry Baltimore Ravens defense with a potential returning Roquan Smith.

Thankfully, the Bears were able to put up plenty of points still due to a second straight great performance from the running game.

The Bears finally got the running game going

For a second straight week, the Bears were able to finally dominate on the ground game. D’Andre Swift ran for 124 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown. Swift averaged 6.5 yards per carry and was on fire throughout the game.

D'Andre Swift against the Saints
20.8 PPR points, 138 total yards, 1 touchdown

D'Andre Swift against the Commanders
25.5 PPR points, 175 total yards, 1 touchdown pic.twitter.com/bDkOJd0YPl

— PFF Fantasy (@PFF_Fantasy) October 19, 2025

Rookie Kyle Monangai also put up 81 yards on 13 carries and was able to get his first career touchdown.

The Bears’ run blocking was fantastic yet again, specifically on the right side. Right tackle Darnell Wright dominated on his side, giving the run game plenty of chances to make plays.

It’s clear that the offense still needs work in regards to the passing game, they also need to clean up the little errors. The offensive line had some horrible false starts. Drew Dalman also had issues snapping the football at times during the game. However, a win is indeed a win.

The Bears will look to continue their winning streak next week against the Baltimore Ravens, who should have a returning Lamar Jackson back.

D'Andre Swift into the end zone!

NOvsCHI on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/YB0AMw2shF

— NFL (@NFL) October 19, 2025

The post Three takeaways from the Chicago Bears fourth straight win appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears have begun practicing ahead of their Week 6 Monday Night showdown against the Washington Commanders, as the good news regarding the team’s health continues to improve. On Tuesday, the team designated defensive end Austin Booker to return from injured reserve, as he was sidelined with a knee injury back in August during the second preseason game. Although Booker’s injury was costly from a production and depth standpoint for a Bears’ defensive line in dire need of both, the second-year defensive end’s injury could be very valuable for his long-term success in Dennis Allen’s defensive scheme.

Austin Booker’s injury may have came at the right time

During the 2024 NFL Draft, general manager Ryan Poles made the bold decision to trade back into the draft to select Austin Booker in the fifth round from Kansas. Although Booker went in the later part of the draft, there was significant interest in him, as many analysts believed he possessed the traits to be a very productive pass-rusher in the correct scheme. There was so much hype surrounding the defensive end and his potential ability that his draft comp was All-Pro Maxx Crosby, who has recorded 61.5 sacks during his seven-year career.

The hype surrounding Austin Booker seemed to come to fruition during last year’s preseason slate of games, as the rookie recorded over two and a half sacks in the three preseason contests. Unfortunately, the level of preseason production didn’t carry over to the 2024 regular season, as Booker only recorded one and a half sacks, with his lone full sack coming in a garbage time in a win against the Carolina Panthers. Throughout the season, fans and analysts were perplexed by the lack of production from the rookie defensive end.

Heading into the 2025 season there was hype surrounding Austin Booker once again due to the hiring of Dennis Allen and his long-standing ability to develop defensive linemen. During Allen’s 15 years as a defensive play-caller, he has helped develop and worked with some of the league’s best pass-rushers. That included Von Miller, Khalil Mack, Cameron Jordan, and Trey Hendrickson. It is the work with these elite pass-rushers that has given fans and analysts immense hope that the Bears’ new defensive play-caller can get the most out of Booker heading into his second season.

There was building hope for Booker as the defensive end recorded four sacks in the preseason before getting hurt. Following the Bears’ Week 5 bye, Austin Booker is slated to return, but his four weeks missed will likely prove beneficial for him and Allen.

Chicago’s defensive coordinator will now have five weeks of game film with his new defense to learn how to best deploy Booker in favorable situations to rush the passer.

For Booker, having five weeks of game film, not only allows him to better learn and understand Allen’s defensive scheme from watching on the sideline, but also enables him to rewatch his preseason film to better understand how he works within the scheme. Austin Booker has probably spent time looking back at the preseason film to find similarities in the four sacks he recorded against the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, and build off those similarities. Furthermore, Allen could look at his second-year pass-rusher and look to see what traits and defensive line formations gives the lineman the best chance at winning at the line of scrimmage.

If Booker can come back and have success in Allen’s defensive scheme, it will be immensely helpful for the specific scheme the defensive coordinator wants to run. The defensive play-caller runs a Cover-2 based defense, which is heavily reliant on pass-rush pressure from the defensive line, as it allows the back seven to drop back into pass coverage. Austin Booker having success would benefit the veterans along the line, especially Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, who have combined for only two sacks in the Bears’ first four games.

Austin Booker is returning with a lot of positive momentum

With the impending return of not just Austin Booker, but also Kyler Gordon, it appears that the potential for more sacks will increase for Allen’s defense. In the Bears’ last two games, their defensive unit has recorded eight takeaways and six interceptions, despite struggle to consistently create pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Booker and Gordon returning Chicago’s defensive scheme as the team’s play-caller loves to generate pass-rush pressure either from his defensive line or through exotic blitzes by rushing defensive backs.

The increased ability to create interceptions paired with the return the key defensive back that Allen was keen on using in both pass and run defense, benefits Booker’s ability to rush the passer. Opposing quarterbacks going forward may be more hesitant in throwing down field, resulting in holding onto the ball too long and increasing the chance of being sacked. Furthermore, If Allen has plans to blitz Gordon to confuse opposing signal-callers, it may lead to the signal-caller running into Booker while trying to evade another pass-rusher.

Can Austin Booker make a difference right away?

The promising key to Austin Booker’s return and his ability to rush the passer is that there appears to be immense positive momentum.  The Bears are playing several quarterbacks over the next few weeks that either lack mobility or are injured to the point that their mobility will be reduced. Whether be Jayden Daniels, Spencer Rattler, Lamar Jackson, or Joe Flacco, Booker will have an increased ability at sacking opposing due to decreased mobility.

Although Booker is designated to return, this doesn’t mean that he will for sure be back for Chicago’s next game against the Commanders. But if Booker does return, it will be a tremendous boost to the defense. The injury Booker suffered during the preseason is unfortunate, but the time off could be beneficial for him to better understand Allen’s defensive scheme while also understanding how he fits too. The Bears’ defensive line has struggled to consistently rush opposing quarterbacks during the team’s first four games, but with one of their defensive ends returning from injury, the pass rush has a chance to improve.

The post Austin Booker’s brief injury could attribute to long-term success under Dennis Allen appeared first on ChiCitySports.

There is building anticipation for the Chicago Bears following their Week 5 bye, as they are expected to get several key players back from injury ahead of their Monday Night matchup on October 13th against the Washington Commanders. Players including defensive end Austin Booker, linebacker T.J. Edwards, and rookie tight end Colston Loveland are expected back, but is the impending return of cornerback Kyler Gordon that is the most exciting. Gordon has yet to play in 2025, and his presence in Dennis Allen’s defensive scheme could be significant due to the fourth-year cornerback’s immense flexibility.

Kyler Gordon’s versatility will help in making Chicago’s blitz packages more exotic

Through his first three seasons in the league, Kyler Gordon has been one of the Bears’ most reliable and active defensive players, despite being a nickel back corner. Gordon has shown a tremendous ability to play pass coverage but has also been active when it comes to stopping the run or rushing the quarterback, something that is a rarity for a defensive back. The cornerback has recorded five interceptions, four fumble recoveries, and one and a half sacks during his three seasons in the NFL so far.

It is this universal ability that has made Dennis Allen excited to utilize Gordon on defense, as the cornerback provides immense flexibility when it comes to designing and calling plays. Chicago’s veteran defensive coordinator loves to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks with exotic blitz packages, as he will blitz defensive backs to create confusion and deception. Throughout the offseason leading up to the 2025 season, there was hype that Kyler Gordon would be used heavily in both pass and run blitz packages to help throw off opposing offenses.

Although the Bears’ defense has struggled at points during the team’s first four games, especially in limiting big gains on rushing attempts, there have been signs of progress, including six interceptions in the previous two games. The hallmark of Allen’s defensive scheme is to create constant pressure on the opposing quarterback, which in turn will result in takeaways. Having Kyler Gordon, who can either rush the signal-caller or drop back in coverage, only boosts Chicago’s defensive goals.

If Kyler Gordon is able to return against the Washington Commanders on October 13th, Allen could finally execute his defensive scheme to its fullest, as he will finally have the one defensive back that was envisioned to be the blitzer. Due to injuries to Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, and Terrell Smith, Chicago’s defensive coordinator has had to hold off on any exotic blitz designs and rely significantly on pass rush created from the defensive line where there hasn’t been much production. With the stellar play by Tyrique Stevenson over the past few games, Allen could be well inclined with Gordon’s return to use the slot cornerback’s versatility use him more in pass-rush scenarios than in pass defense situations.

Furthermore, with Allen’s defense having recent success in creating turnover, as they have recorded eight takeaways in the team’s last two games, Kyler Gordon could also be a threat in pass-coverage and help force even more interceptions. Gordon’s versality enables him to be lined up to cover opposing wide receivers on the outside and in the slot, as several of his interceptions have come on short and deep throws. The range possessed by the slot corner enables Allen to basically give his player free range when it comes to pass defense.

Kyler Gordon could be successfully deployed similar to how Dennis Allen used Marshon Lattimore in New Orleans

What Dennis Allen envisions for Kyler Gordon and how the defense wants the cornerback to play in the defensive scheme, it is important to look at fellow cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore played under Allen for over eight seasons during their time in New Orleans with the Saints. Lattimore during his time in New Orleans was named a Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2017 and was named to the Pro Bowl four times.

Lattimore, during the eight seasons with Allen in New Orleans, was an opposing offense’s nightmare as he generated over 20 takeaways in that span, with 15 interceptions from 2017 to 2023. It is this level of production that Chicago’s defensive coordinator believes Kyler Gordon is capable of in this defensive scheme. Although Gordon may not have the athletic capabilities that Lattimore does, he still has the same level of versatility to be deployed in multiple different ways on defense.

The envisioned plan to deploy Kyler Gordon in the same way Marshon Lattimore was used during Allen’s time in New Orleans will also benefit Chicago’s defensive line. During the defensive coordinator’s time in New Orleans, the Saints defensive line consistently was one of the best units in the league at creating pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Gordon’s presence in the Bears’ defensive pass rush will only benefit the team’s defensive line and help increase their ability to sack opposing signal-callers.

It will be exciting to see what could transpire with the Bears’ defense if the unit is able to get several of their players back for the game against the Commanders. Although Booker’s return will assist with pass rush and Edwards’ return will benefit the run defense, Kyler Gordon’s presence will universally assist in defensive scheming. Gordon’s immense versatility will boost a defense that is already starting to show signs of dominance into becoming a staunch defensive unit that can stop opposing offenses in a multitude of ways.

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The Chicago Bears have been dealing with a depleted secondary since the start of the 2025 season. Slot cornerback Kyler Gordon has yet to play this season due to a hamstring injury. Jaylon Johnson reinjured his groin during Week 2’s loss against the Lions and has been put on injured reserve. While Johnson has a chance to return this season, it is clear that the Bears could use additional help in the secondary.

Tyrique Stevenson struggled during the first two games of the season. However, he made a major step up in Week 3’s victory over the Cowboys. Stevenson forced a fumble by stripping the ball from Javonte Williams during the Cowboys’ opening possession. The often-critiqued cornerback played very well against Dallas, helping the Bears’ defense prevent the Cowboys from making many big plays. Nashon Wright has also been impressive throughout the first three games. The Bears’ secondary has yet to exceed expectations through three games. The team still needs a solid veteran player to fill in while Johnson is out on IR.

The Bears have plenty of options to go with regarding adding a defensive back. One controversial veteran safety is a free agent, and he has ties to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

CJ Gardner-Johnson has ties to Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen

According to Adam Schefter, the Houston Texans surprisingly released Gardner-Johnson on Tuesday, after just three games with the team. The veteran safety led in interceptions in the 2022 season and has 18 career interceptions. Gardner-Johnson is connected to Chicago due to his relationship with Dennis Allen.

Gardner-Johnson spent his first three NFL seasons with Allen’s former team, the New Orleans Saints. Allen was Gardner-Johnson’s defensive coordinator during his tenure with the Saints. The veteran safety could be a potential scheme fit due to Allen’s defense. However, this could be a big risk for the Bears.

The Bears should not sign Gardner-Johnson, even though he has ties to Dennis Allen

Gardner-Johnson would be too big a risk due to his “locker room issues”. According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, the veteran safety was “critical of teammates in the secondary and didn’t like his role”.

“Among the issues #Texans experienced behind the scenes with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, per sources, he was critical of teammates in the secondary and didn’t like his role. It was a locker room issue and ultimately this just wasn’t a good fit for the team and for a talented player”

Among the issues #Texans experienced behind the scenes with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, per sources, he was critical of teammates in the secondary and didn't like his role. It was a locker room issue and ultimately this just wasn't a good fit for the team and for a talented… https://t.co/tHhsv9Ur7v

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 23, 2025

Bears’ fans might remember Gardner-Johnson during his Saints tenure. The veteran safety fought former Bears receiver Javon Wims during a game in 2020 and had a scuffle with former receiver Anthony Miller during a 2021 playoff game.

Even though Gardner-Johnson might have some good football left in him, it might not be worth the drama for the Bears to sign him. The Bears could likely find a better and cheaper option to fill the holes in the secondary.

The post Controversial free agent DB has ties to Chicago Bears defensive coordinator appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears won their first game under first-year head coach Ben Johnson on Sunday, winning 31-14 at home against the Dallas Cowboys. Although Johnson’s offense under quarterback Caleb Williams, who threw four touchdowns, were the highlight of the victory, it was what Chicago’s defense did that matters just as equally. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen oversaw a stellar performance by an embattled and injury-plagued defense that was in need of a marquee day.

Dennis Allen’s defense bounced back in several ways after having an embarrassing performance a week prior

Coming off an embarrassing 52-21 loss to the Detroit Lions, Dennis Allen’s defense was facing immense criticism, especially with fans and analysts believing that players quit in the second half of the blowout. With key defensive stars such as Jaylon Johnson, T.J. Edwards, and Kyler Gordon being out for the Cowboys game, there was an expectation that Allen’s defensive group would struggle significantly against on Sunday. Despite Dallas’ offense putting up 40 points and generating over 362 passing in the week prior against the New York Giants, Chicago’s defense significantly reduced their opponent’s offensive production.

With several of Chicago’s cornerbacks out against Dallas paired with the pass-rush struggle of the defensive line against Detroit, Dennis Allen’s unit performed remarkably under pressure in the win. Allen’s embattled defensive line was able to generate two sacks against Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott, with Montez Sweat and Dominique Robinson recording a sack each, as each defensive end has faced steep criticism. One of the hallmarks of the veteran defensive coordinator’s defensive scheme is to have consistent pass-rush pressure from the defensive line.

The other concern for Dennis Allen’s defense heading into the Cowboys game was how Chicago’s depleted secondary was going to perform against an elite combo of opposing wide receivers in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Even with Johnson and Gordon out, Allen’s defensive backs limited the Cowboys’ two top pass-catchers to only five catches for 68 yards, even though Lamb was lost early in the game. Additionally, the Bears’ defense limited Prescott to nearly 150 passing yards through the first three quarters, where Jared Goff had pass for nearly the same amount in the first quarter of last week’s game.

Another key staple of Dennis Allen’s defensive scheme is a defense that creates turnovers, and Chicago forced four takeaways against Dallas on Sunday. In the Bears’ first two games, the unit had only generated one takeaway, which was the Nashon Wright interception return for a touchdown. Allen’s defense forced three interceptions and one fumble recovery, with all four takeaways stopping the Cowboys’ offense deep in Chicago territory.

The most significant aspect to Chicago’s defensive performance on Sunday against the Cowboys, was the limiting of points, especially when the game was out of reach. Through five quarters before Sunday’s game against Dallas, Dennis Allen’s defensive unit had allowed 73 points, yet the same unit recorded a second half shutout in the second half of their Week 3 contest. Furthermore, Allen oversaw a Bears defense that only allowed one touchdown to an opposing offense who had averaged over 30 points in their first two games of this year.

Dennis Allen’s defensive unit is one week away from getting reinforcements

The promising defensive turnaround from the Detroit game to the Dallas game becomes even more promising, given how Dennis Allen’s unit can get reinforcements over the next several weeks. If Allen’s defense can perform well against a struggle Las Vegas Raiders’ offense next Sunday, momentum will carry over into a significant bye week. Although early-season bye weeks are seen as a disadvantage to any NFL team, but with the injuries plaguing prominent Bears’ defenders, it comes at a perfect time.

If the Bears’ defense plays well against the Raiders and can help produce a win, Dennis Allen will have two weeks to help further acclimate his players to his defensive scheme while likely getting several players back too. By the time Allen’s defense takes the field on October 12th against the Washington Commanders, Gordon, Edwards, and defensive end Austin Booker could likely be back on. Having the three defensive players would be key for a defensive scheme that thrives on pass-rush pressure from the defensive line and exotic blitzes from defensive backs.

Throughout the offseason and preseason, Dennis Allen had been vocal on what his plans were for Gordon, especially for what he could do from the nickel back position. Allen envisioned the fourth-year cornerback as a player who could be used as an exotic blitzer due to his speed and tackling ability. If the Bears’ defensive line can create consistent pressure, especially with the impending return of Booker, Gordon could be a significant problem for opposing offense when it comes to protecting their opposing quarterback.

Holding a proven Dallas offense to 14 points paired with four turnovers, including three second half interceptions demonstrate the capabilities of Dennis Allen’s defensive scheme. With one more game before a vital bye week that can really help Allen’s defensive unit get back to near perfect health, it is important for a strong contest against the Raiders. Chicago’s offense stole the show on Sunday at home against the Cowboys, but the defense’s performance, especially after last week’s game, deserves an equal amount of attention.

The post Dennis Allen’s defense deserves an immense amount of praise for their performance Sunday appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is tasked with turning around a unit that surrendered 334 passing yards and five touchdowns to Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff in a 52-21 blowout in Week 2.

His opponent in Week 3: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Prescott shredded the New York Giants’ defense in Week 2, throwing for 361 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the Cowboys’ 40-37 win in overtime.

The Chicago Bears need to pressure Dak Prescott

During his news conference on Thursday, Allen said the defense needs to generate a strong pass rush against Prescott.

“The most important way and the quickest way to affect the offense is to be able to affect the quarterback and being able to do that through rush and coverage,” said Allen via the Bears’ website. “There’s a lot of different ways that you can do that. Maybe there’s some ways that we can create a little bit more time for the rush to get there.”

Serious injuries on defense aren’t helping

The Bears have to find ways to pressure Prescott because the secondary is dealing with significant injuries. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson is out indefinitely after he reaggravated his groin injury in Week 2. Cornerbacks Jaylon Jones and Kyler Gordon have not practiced this week due to hamstring injuries.

“We all embrace the challenge,” Allen said of being shorthanded on defense. “There’s no question about it. When you have significant players that are missing time, it’s challenging. And yet, that’s why we do what we do and that’s why we’re at the highest level of this profession is to figure out solutions and figure out ways to get the job done.”

The Bears have given up 73 points in the last five quarters. Chicago needs to shut down the Cowboys on Sunday or they run the risk of letting bad defense become a habit in Allen’s first season as defensive coordinator.

Allen acknowledged the sloppy defense against the Lions, saying the team is working to make corrections before playing Dallas.

“If you’re in this league long enough, you’ve been in one of those type of games,” Allen said. “And so you make the corrections that you need to make and you come back in and you go to work and that’s what you do. I mean, you get back up on the horse, let’s go ride again, and so that’s what our guys are doing…. We just come in every night, we go to work, try to put a good plan together, try to utilize our guys the best we can and put them in good positions to make plays. Hopefully we’ll go out and do that this weekend.”

If they don’t come out and play better, the Bears might be staring at a disappointing 0-3 start.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Bears rookie class has been mostly an afterthought during the first games of the season. Tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III have been nonfactors on the field.

Offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo and defensive tackle Shemar Turner were healthy scratches in Week 2, missing out on a 52-21 blowout loss to the Detroit Lions.

General manager Ryan Poles wanted to build his roster via the draft, and the lack of output from young draft picks is a big reason why the team is 0-2.

The Chicago Bears hope Shemar Turner takes next step

On Thursday, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen provided an update on Turner. He suggested that Turner has been inactive because he needs to catch up on the scheme after missing time in training camp with an ankle injury.

Via CHGO Bears:

“Dennis Allen on second-round pick Shemar Turner, who’s been inactive in Week 1 & 2: “Really it’s just continue to work in practice. He missed a lot of time in training camp, but I think he’s turning a corner. … And then it’s about taking advantage of the opportunity when it comes on game day.”

Dennis Allen on second-round pick Shemar Turner, who's been inactive in Week 1 & 2:

"Really it's just continue to work in practice. He missed a lot of time in training camp, but I think he's turning a corner. … And then it's about taking advantage of the opportunity when it…

— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) September 18, 2025

Turner could see more action against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3. All-Pro defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is dealing with a knee injury, and the defense needs to add depth against a Dallas Cowboys offense that put up 40 points in a win over the New York Giants in Week 2.

If Turner makes the best of his opportunity against the Cowboys, he will prove to the coaching staff that he doesn’t deserve to be inactive during games.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

The post Chicago Bears coach updates rookie’s progress after injury appeared first on ChiCitySports.

It’s only week two, but it already feels like rock bottom. The Chicago Bears put on a very embarrassing performance against the Detroit Lions in Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season. While head coach Ben Johnson and the offense struggled badly, the defense was, without a doubt, the biggest concern of the game.

The Bears’ defense got flat-out destroyed on every level during Sunday’s game. The pass rush was non-existent. Lions quarterback Jared Goff seemed like he had 30 years to throw the ball multiple times. Goff threw for five touchdown passes, three of them were to Amon Ra St-Brown. Dennis Allen’s defense gave up a total of 511 yards during Sunday’s abysmal loss.

The team was also unable to stop the run game, giving up 177 rushing yards. The defense kept the Bears out of the game completely, giving up an embarrassing 52 points. Jaylon Johnson and TJ Edwards both returned from their respective injuries; however, both went down and left the game early. The team has also been without starting slot corner Kyler Gordon for the first two games of the season.

The Chicago Bears’ defense has given up 73 points in their last five quarters of football

According to Bill Zimmerman, the Bears’ defense has given up an embarrassing amount of yards and points since the fourth quarter of Week 1’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The team has given up 674 yards and 73 points in the last four quarters of football. This is unacceptable for a team that should be contending for a playoff spot.

The Bears have given up 694 yards of offense and 73 points in their last 5 quarters.

— Bill Zimmerman (@BillTZimmerman) September 14, 2025

The defense, through two games, ranks last in the NFL in passer rating and touchdown percentage. They also rank near the bottom of the league in multiple other categories.

Chicago Bears Pass Defense Ranks

Success Rate: 29th
Passer Rating: 32nd
Comp%: 29th
Yards per attempt: 31st
Yards per completion: 30th
YAC per reception: 30th
TD%: 32nd
INT%: 10th
Pressure Rate: 19th
Sack Rate: 16th pic.twitter.com/tFjJ8fEWCO

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) September 15, 2025

Multiple starters have not lived up to any expectations

Multiple key players on the Bears’ defense have been off to brutal starts. Montez Sweat and the defensive line failed badly on Sunday. The defensive line could not pressure Jared Goff at all, giving him so much time to throw. The defense was also unable to stop the Lions’ run game at all.

Regarding the secondary, Tyrique Stevenson had the worst showing. Stevenson got burned early in the first quarter and was picked apart by Jared Goff on multiple occasions. The Bears’ cornerback was unable to cover St Brown and gave up multiple big plays and touchdowns. Since the Washington Hail Mary, Stevenson hasn’t been the same. It might be time for the Bears to consider starting Nashon Wright over him.

Dennis Allen needs to figure his defense out. While he is not entirely at fault for the loss, he needs to get this defense going. If the Bears’ defense continues to play this badly, they might not even win five games this season.

Considering the Bears have the fifth most expensive defense, this could very well fall on general manager Ryan Poles. The defense needs to get it together for Week 3.

Here’s a not-so-fun stat

The #Bears are 5th in defensive spending ($125.5 million)

They’ve allowed 79 points through two games.

Statistic via Over the Cap pic.twitter.com/24G4aPUKKZ

— IZ (@Isaac__Zuniga) September 14, 2025

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The Chicago Bears‘ 2025 season is upon us! We are in Week 1, and our team begins the campaign on Monday Night Football against their NFC North rivals, the Minnesota Vikings. Once again, there are high hopes for the team. Let’s hope, however, that some of those hopes are fulfilled.

One of the enjoyable aspects of the start of a season is trying to predict how it will unfold. We got a look at the team through practices and preseason games. There is a feeling that the Chicago Bears could have a breakout season. Of course, the same was said last year and we know how that finished.

The Chicago Bears made a lot of changes in preparation for the season

The Chicago Bears made a lot of changes to try to change the struggles of the past decade (or longer). General manager Ryan Poles got to work shortly after the 2024 season ended. He hired the hottest head coach candidate in the NFL offseason, Ben Johnson.

Johnson then hired a solid coaching staff around him. His defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, also has head coaching experience. His running backs coach, Eric Bieniemy, has been a successful offensive coordinator and was a head coach candidate himself.

With a solid coaching staff, Poles went and picked up the players he felt could help bring in more wins. For example, the Chicago Bears’ biggest weakness for years has been the offensive line. He acquired All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs. Additionally, he added the top free agent center, Drew Dalman, and a familiar face, Jonah Jackson. Jackson and Johnson were with the Detroit Lions.

Furthermore, Poles drafted tackle Ozzy Trapilo, tight end Colston Loveland, and wide receiver Luther Burden to add to the offense. Johnson was an offensive innovator with the Lions and now wants to bring that innovation to the Chicago Bears.

On defense, defensive linemen Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett were new additions. Also, the Chicago Bears welcomed linebacker Ruben Hyppolite from the draft.

The Chicago Bears look to have a lot stronger team on paper. Of course, the games are not decided on paper, so let’s see if their “improvements” translate to the real world.

Here are some bold predictions for the Chicago Bears and their 2025 season

The post Chicago Bears: Bold predictions for the 2025 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears are now less than a week away from kicking off their 2025 season at home on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings, with active roster concerns still existing. Despite having a new head coach with Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, fans and analysts are questioning whether general manager Ryan Poles has provided the play-callers with adequate roster personnel to execute their new schemes. One of the roster concerns that remains is the defensive end position and the group’s ability to generate consistent pass-rush, something that has been virtually non-existent during Poles tenure.

Ryan Poles simply can’t resolve the pass-rush issues that have plagued the defensive end spot

During Poles’ four years in role as Bears’ general manager, he has done extensive work to improve the defensive end position, but has yet to add any consistent and legitimate edge rushers. Since being hired in January of 2022, Poles has either drafted, traded, or signed and defensive lineman in hopes of hitting on a reliable and dominate threat of the end of line. Other than the trade that brought over Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders in October of 2023, Chicago has failed to have a pass-rusher generate six or more sack in last four years.

One of the reasons why Poles traded for Sweat was due to a significant lack of pass-rush from not just the defensive end position but from the defensive tackle position too. Before acquiring the Pro Bowl sack specialist from the Commanders, the Bears’ sack leader through the first eight games of 2023 was edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who was signed before the start of the season to bolster the defensive end position. In the five games Ngakoue and Sweat played together, the pair combined for five and a half sacks, which was the closest Ryan Poles came to solidifying the position.

The position has been one of concern due to Poles’ draft selection not panning out during the four seasons, including the selection of Dominique Robinson and Austin Booker.  When Ryan Poles drafted both players, draft analysts believed that Chicago’s general manager had pick the potential steal of that year’s draft. Despite recording one and a half sacks in his first ever game, Robinson has only generated a half a sack of the past two seasons while Booker had only one and half sacks during his rookie campaign last year that featured immense expectations.

Poles’ attempt to address the position via free agency has been unsuccessful, as other than Ngakoue, the rest of the signings have failed to pan out. Al-Quadin Muhammad was signed for the 2022 season and one registered one sack during the one season with Chicago while DeMarcus Walker was signed in 2023 and has recorded three and half sack with the team in each of the last two years. this past offseason, Ryan Poles spent significant free agent money on defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and defensive Dayo Odeyingbo to boost the pass-rush and to aid Sweat, who is coming off a disappointing five a half sack campaign last year.

The failure by Ryan Poles to find a long-term and consistent solution at the defensive end position, especially one capable of sacking the quarterback has been concerning, especially given who his defensive play-callers have been during his tenure. Poles’ defensive play-callers have been former head coach Matt Eberflus and now Allen, as both coaches heavily feature Cover-2 schemes, which is highly reliant on pass-rush pressure from the defensive line. Chicago’s defense has struggled over the past three years, especially with d-line pass-rush pressure and now can potentially carry over with depleted depth at the end position.

Ryan Poles’ struggles to address the defensive end position is even more concerning when comparing his work to former Bears’ general managers

The struggles Poles has had at addressing the defensive end position and finding an edge rusher of being a constant threat to rush the quarterback, is even more concerning knowing that his last three predecessors have been able to address the spot one way or the other. Whether it has been through drafting, trades, or free agency signings, previous Bears’ general managers Ryan Pace, Phil Emery, and Jerry Angelo have had success. Each of the three previous general managers have added a defensive end who recorded ten sacks or more in a season.

Despite being inconsistent when scouting and drafting players, Ryan Pace was able to address and find defensive line pass-rushers through trades and free agent signings. In 2016, Pace signed Akiem Hicks, who had seven or more sacks in three consecutive seasons and two years later traded for All-Pro edge rusher Khalil Mack, who recorded 30 sacks in three years with the Bears. Additionally, the former general manager signed Robert Quinn, who broke the Bears’ franchise record for sacks in a season with 18.5, and was traded a year later by Ryan Poles.

Pace’s predecessor was Emery, who was in the team’s general manager for a short two-year period and struggled with finding adequate roster personnel. Despite the consistent issues evaluating talent, Emery was able to sign defensive end Willie Young, who generated ten sacks in 2014 and 26 sacks total during a four-year stint with the franchise. Even a questionable signing in Lamarr Houston in 2014 turned into a successful one when Houston bounced back in 2015 to have eight quarterback takedowns.

Even Jerry Angelo has proven more successful at finding defensive end and sack talent, as he had several successful trades, free agent signings, and draft selections. In 2006, the general manger selected edge rusher Mark Anderson who recorded 12 sacks as a rookie and had already drafted a reliable end in Alex Brown back in 2002. Angelo traded for Adewale Ogunleye in 2005 and signed Julius Peppers in 2010, as both players generated 10 sacks in a season with Chicago.

When comparing Ryan Poles to his predecessors, it is highly troubling to note how the previous general managers, even with their flaws, were still able to have success finding legitimate pass-rushers. Heading into a season with a new defensive play-caller and lingering questions at the end position due to injuries and talent concerns, Poles could be facing another year where the defense is unable to take down opposing quarterbacks. If there are any struggles throughout the season by the Bears from a win-loss standpoint, it will be due to the defense’s inability to stop opposing offenses.

The post Ryan Poles has struggled significantly to address the defensive end pass-rusher position appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears clearly need some more depth on the defensive line, especially with how rough the pass rush looked in the final preseason game of the 2025 season. It appears that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants to bring in a former second-round pick with whom he is very familiar.

According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, former New Orleans Saints edge rusher Isaiah Foskey is expected to work out with the Bears this week. The 24-year-old was cut by the Saints last month. Foskey was drafted by the Saints in 2023, and ultimately, he did not pan out. In just two seasons with the Saints, he had zero sacks and only nine solo tackles.

Former #Saints defensive end Isaiah Foskey is expected to work out with the #Bears this week and the #Eagles next week, sources tell @CBSSports.

The former Notre Dame All-American was a second-round draft pick of the Saints in 2023. Posted 16 tackles for New Orleans last season. pic.twitter.com/vuR1ObkFQj

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) September 2, 2025

Foskey played for Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen for the last two seasons

Foskey could be a low-risk, high-reward situation. The former New Orleans Saint is just 24 years old and was a former second-round pick. However, he has had zero sacks in two seasons and turned into a bust for the Saints. However, the Bears’ defensive coordinator knows Foskey well and may be able to bring out the best in him.

This would likely be just a simple depth piece or a practice squad candidate for the Bears roster. It might be worth giving the former Notre Dame edge rusher a chance here, especially with how concerning the pass rush has become.

I'd be a big fan of the #Bears bringing in Isaiah Foskey, even if it's just on the practice squad.

Still just 24 years old, was a second-round pick in 2023 and has experience under Dennis Allen. Liked him at Notre Dame but it hasn't panned out. Worth taking a low-risk shot, IMO. https://t.co/oTR48JbGBI

— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) September 2, 2025

The post Chicago Bears expected to bring former 2023 second-round pick for workout appeared first on ChiCitySports.

This is it! The Chicago Bears finished their preseason with a 2-0-1 record. Additionally, they made the cuts and announced their 53-man roster for Week 1 of the regular season. All the games from here on out count, and all the decisions will have a significant impact on the season.

The time we have waited for since the end of the 2024 season is upon us now — the new look Chicago Bears head into the 2025 season with big hopes again. They had those same hopes, and after a nice start those hopes were dashed in the midst of a ten-game losing streak.

The Chicago Bears have a new look and new coaching staff to hopefully win more games in 2025

The Chicago Bears were busy in the offseason. General manager Ryan Poles had to solidify the roster and the coaching staff. He won the battle for the most sought-after head coaching candidate in Ben Johnson. Johnson then went out and hired a solid, experienced staff behind him.

Poles made solidifying the offensive line a priority. He acquired All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney, the top free agent center Drew Dalmon, and right guard Jonah Jackson. That instantly made the interior of the line much stronger. With Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright on the edges, the Bears’ offensive line could turn from a weakness to a strength.

While all the changes are nice, they would be so much better with wins. The time for moral victories and learning experiences is over. It is now time for the team to pile up the wins. After a 4-2 start last season, we thought that improvement was about to happen. However, the losing streak drowned those feelings.

Let’s take a look at the season game by game and see how the Chicago Bears could end the 2025 season.

The post Chicago Bears: Predicting final win-loss record for 2025 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

It was great to see Chicago Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings on the field again. The last time we saw him was in Week 8 of last season. He left the field with a ruptured pectoral muscle that ended his season. It was a huge blow to the defense.

Opponents were able to gash the Chicago Bears’ interior line, gaining a ton of yards. Quarterbacks were not under very much pressure. They stayed in the pocket until they found open receivers.

The Chicago Bears did a good job of shutting down the opponent’s run game. Just the season before, the defense ranked number one against the run. Additionally, it ranked 12th overall.

Billings was a big part of the Chicago Bears’ success on defense

Billings was a big part of that. He took a lot of double teams, which freed up space for other defensive linemen such as Montez Sweat and Gervon Dexter. He was the underrated and forgotten piece of the defense. Once he went down, we saw how important he really was.

Without Billings, the Chicago Bears’ rushing defense ranked 28th. The defense overall ranked 27th. The drop in the defense was a big part of why the team lost ten consecutive games and finished with a record of 5-12.

Dexter was in his second season with the Chicago Bears in 2024. In eight games with Billings, he got off to a great season. He had 24 total tackles (3 for loss), 4 sacks, and 12 quarterback hits. In the nine games without Billings, however,

In seven games without Billings (he missed two games), those numbers dropped to 27 tackles (one for loss), one sack, and seven quarterback hits. Without having to worry about double teaming Billings, opponents put more of their attention on Dexter (as well as Sweat).

In the Chicago Bears’ second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, Billings started. We saw again how important he was to the defense. He was again taking double teams. On one of those plays, he had two blockers on either side of him. Defensive end Austin Booker was able to pop through and record a sack.

That is what the Chicago Bears need from Billings again. They aren’t necessarily looking for big numbers from him. However, if he does get them, all the better. Against the Bills, he got in on the fun, recording a sack. He just needs to receive a lot of attention, though, so the other players can do their thing.

Dennis Allen comes in, and Billings and the defense are happy

This season, the Chicago Bears have a new defensive coordinator. Dennis Allen comes from the New Orleans Saints where he was their defensive coordinator before becoming their head coach. He has a different style of coaching than Matt Eberflus, the former head coach who also had control of the defense.

Allen is a lot tougher on his players and demands accountability. Billings says it was needed, and he likes that.

The post Chicago Bears 2025: Andrew Billings again an integral part of defensive success appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears kicked off their 2025 preseason slate with a 24-24 tie against the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field on Sunday. Although most of Chicago’s starters didn’t play, there were several noticeable individual performances, including by second-year defensive end Austin Booker, who had three sacks. Despite Booker’s massive day in the preseason opener, the young pass-rusher must now show that he can be an impactful star when the schedule shifts to the regular season, especially with the defense’s need for a second threat to sack the quarterback.

Austin Booker has displayed immense potential but has failed to produce when it matters

Austin Booker was drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, as general manager Ryan Poles was attempting to address a massive hole at the defensive end position while boosting Chicago’s defensive line pass-rushing capabilities. During the time leading up to the draft, Booker generated significant praise from scouts due to his raw athleticism, including garnering comparisons to Las Vegas Raiders’ All-Pro Maxx Crosby. When Poles traded back into the 2024 NFL Draft to select the Kansas defensive end, fans and some analysts believed that Chicago could be getting a steal of the draft.

The hype surrounding Austin Booker accelerated even more last preseason, as he recorded three sacks, four quarterback hits, and a forced fumble in the three exhibition games. Fans were strongly anticipating the rookie defensive end having a massive rookie season being paired with fellow defensive end Montez Sweat, who was coming off of a Pro Bowl and 12 sack year in 2023. However, Booker turned in a disappointing rookie campaign, as he only generated one a half sacks, with the one quarterback takedown coming at the end of a Week 5 blowout over the Carolina Panthers.

With the three sacks against the Dolphins on Sunday, the excitement surrounding Booker has been reignited, especially with his increase in size over the offseason. For the Bears’ defense to be successful in 2025, they need someone to step up on the defensive line to help capitalize on opposing offenses paying so much blocking attention to Sweat and be threat to consistently sack the quarterback. Austin Booker has the capabilities to be that threat to opposing signal-callers, but has to have his play translate to the regular season.

Booker, like Sweat, should be added by Chicago’s offseason improvements at the interior of the defensive line, as Poles signed veteran Grady Jarrett and drafted defensive tackle Shemar Turner in the second round of this year’s draft. The concern though will still be the defensive end position as little was done to address the position despite there being a need, with Chicago only adding Dayo Odeyingbo. If Odeyingbo struggles, it will fall on Booker to be relied on to produce, especially if opposing offenses take Sweat away again like they did in 2024.

If Booker has a second consecutive preseason, but fails to carry that production over to the regular season, it will be truly baffling and concerning with how a pass-rusher can have so much success in exhibition contests, but fail to make an impact in meaningful games. Additionally, the failure to carry the pass-rushing success over to the regular season for second-straight season will solely be the fault of Austin Booker, as he will have played under two different defensive play-caller in back-to-back years. A failure to be productive would likely also mean that the defensive end position would need to be prominently addressed next offseason.

Austin Booker can benefit from Dennis Allen’s play-calling and ability to develop pass-rushers

One aspect that can ensure that Booker’s preseason success carries over to the regular season is the fact that he is playing under Allen, who is regarded as one of the league’s best defensive play-callers, and is terrific when it comes to developing defensive linemen. Chicago’s new defensive coordinator has over 23 years of defensive coaching experience, and has a track record for developing prominent pass-rushers. Austin Booker could be the next pass-rusher that Allen develops into a legitimate threat for opposing offenses.

Since becoming a defensive coordinator for the Broncos in 2011, Allen has worked with and developed several prominent pass rushers over the last 14 years. The established play-caller as overseen pass-rushers such as Von Miller, Khalil Mack, Cameron Jordan, Trey Hendrickson, and Bryan Bresee. Additionally, Chicago’s defensive play-caller has gotten surprise seasons from other linemen, which bolds well for Austin Booker in his second season.

The key for Booker is capitalizing on the situations that Allen put him in, as the defensive coordinator is known for generating pressure with his defensive line while complimenting the linemen with exotic blitz schemes too. For example, there may be a situation where Austin Booker gets an easier path to the quarterback because either linebacker or cornerback is blitzing, causing the opposing offensive line to miss a vital block. In Sunday’s tie against the Dolphins, Allen had a defensive back blitz on fourth down with less than a minute left in the game, which allowed for Chicago to take over on downs and potentially win the game.

Of Chicago’s six sacks on Sunday against the Dolphins, Booker accounted for half of them, which shows Allen’s flexibility when it comes to generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Although linebackers and defensive backs will be used on blitzes, the Bears need defensive linemen to step up, including Austin Booker who is showing that he has the potential be an impact pass rusher. If the second-year defensive end can live up to his potential in 2025, Chicago’s defense could be a prominent force in the league.

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As the Chicago Bears continue their training camp, we take a look at key position battles. We already looked at left tackle, strong side linebacker, and main backup quarterback. Today, we examine the outside cornerback job.

The incumbent for the job is Tyrique Stevenson. Stevenson is starting his third season with the Chicago Bears. He has had some success at the position so far. However, he has also had some bad moments. Well, not just bad but plain boneheaded miscues. Those miscues bring to question how much he can be depended on to get the job done.

Of course, the biggest mistake Stevenson made was against the Washington Commanders in Week 8. The Chicago Bears just had a great comeback to take the lead late in the game. On the last play of the game, Stevenson was busy talking trash to the Commanders fans when he should have been playing the Hail Mary.

When Stevenson did get to the play, he tipped the ball into a Commander’s hands. Washington won the game. That was the beginning of the Chicago Bears’ spiral as they went on to lose ten straight games.

There were other times he made some questionable moves as well. While Stevenson is a talented player, the fear is that he will again make a dumb move to cost the team a victory.

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen says the outside cornerback job is wide open

Likely because of those concerns about Stevenson, the new Chicago Bears coaching staff is not sold on him just yet. Instead of continuing with him as the starter there, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen announced that the job was up in the air.

You know, I’ve seen a lot of improvement from a lot of different guys…I think it’s completely up for grabs. You saw it out there today. You saw some different guys going out there with the 1s. And I think that’s how you develop the very best defense that you can, is create as much competition as you can and let the tape make the decision. And that’s really what it’s about.

The Chicago Bears signed Nahshon Wright to add some depth. With Jaylon Johnson going down for several weeks with an injury, though, he has played that position. He has done a great job there so far. Allen has been very happy with his work and that could mean a shot on the other side.

The Bears also picked up Shaun Wade and Nick McCloud to help with depth. In a shocker at practice recently, however, Allen had Stevenson play with the backups and had Wade and McCloud split time with the starters. Also, do not forget Terell Smith. He was the Bears’ fifth-round pick in 2023.

Smith has 26 career games, six of them starts. He even started a game when the Bears demoted Stevenson for a game. He was solid in his starts and has been a good rotation player.

While Smith, Wright, Wade, and McCloud might not be elite or spectacular, they are solid options. They have the length that the Bears covet. Smith is 6-foot, Wade and McCloud are 6-foot-1, while Wright is 6-foot-4. They are all athletic and can disrupt receivers’ routes.

One thing that hurts Stevenson is that he is always trying to go for the big play. He wants to force it. He needs to realize that sometimes you just go for a fundamental play and sometimes the big play results from that. Going for the pretty play all the times can result in getting burned. That has happened a few times to him.

The other guys are not worried about always trying to make the big play. They are solid and have not made the big mistakes.

Allen could just be trying to set a fire under Stevenson

Of course, Allen could be doing all of this just to light a fire under Stevenson. Stevenson is a very talented player and has the tools to be a great player. Physical tools are not everything that determine success, though. What goes on between the ears is just as important.

Does Tyrique Stevenson have to prove himself? @ruthiepolinsky and @clayharbs82 share their thoughts on The Big Pro Football Show. pic.twitter.com/MC9b9yy3Cb

— Bears on CHSN (@CHSN_Bears) July 17, 2025

What Stevenson has to do is be a stronger player mentally. Perhaps he needs to mature a little more. The Chicago Bears are trying to escape from the error filled malaise of the last few decades. They need to have mentally strong players so we do not see a repeat of all those mistakes that have happened way too many times.

Stevenson still has a leg up on the competition. However, he needs to show that he is over his mental errors. This is a new coaching staff that has no ties to him. If he cannot do that, Allen will have no problem replacing him. The Chicago Bears are trying to change their recent history of futility so if he can’t do it the coaches will find someone else who can.

The post Chicago Bears Training Camp 2025: Key starting spot is up for grabs on defense appeared first on ChiCitySports.

After another disappointing season in 2024, the Chicago Bears went on a mission this offseason to change things. General Manager Ryan Poles set out to change the morale and atmosphere around Halas Hall. All the losing of the last couple of decades has taken a toll and things had to change.

The Chicago Bears have become irrelevant in the NFL. A few good seasons in between long stretches of failure caused that. They have been so bad for so long that many forgot how good the franchise once was.

Poles quickly showed how serious he was on his mission. He hired Ben Johnson, the most sought after candidate in the offseason. Johnson had a lot of success helping turn around the Detroit Lions as their offensive coordinator. Now he hopes to do the same as the head guy in charge in Chicago.

Johnson then hired his coaching staff. One of his first moves was hiring Dennis Allen. Allen has had his own success as a defensive coordinator. Now he gets to help improve a defense that has a storied history of greatness in the league.

Will Dennis Allen get the most of Montez Sweat?

The hiring of Allen was a huge change. In addition to running defenses, he has experience as a head coach. Matt Eberflus, the former head coach, avoided hiring coaches with head coaching experience. It seemed that he did not want someone who could ultimately replace him.

Johnson is not like that. This is his first time as a head coach. He feels secure enough to hire coaches with experience and, instead of feeling scared of being replaced, he wants to gain information from that experience. With Johnson and his new coaching staff are moving to change the attitude with the Chicago Bears. There is now a new era and things feel different.

With Allen on board, there are hopes of the Chicago Bears defense rising once again. One player who is especially happy about the change is defensive end Montez Sweat. Sweat is arguably the best and most important player on the defense.

When he got to Chicago via a trade midway through the 2023 season, Sweat helped change the face of the defense. He played with a high motor and his new teammates followed him.

Things were different last season, however. He dealt with injuries and his play suffered. After recording six sacks in nine games with the Bears in 2023, he recorded just 5.5 in 16 games in 2024. Additionally, not having help on the other side contributed to his play. Teams started to send multiple players his way to slow him down and it worked.

Montez Sweat did his homework

Once the Chicago Bears announced the hiring of Allen, Sweat was fired up. He saw the success that the New Orleans Saints’ defensive end, Cam Jordan, had with Allen. Now Sweat envisions himself having the same success here in Chicago. He quickly watched tapes so he can see what he can do.

Cam Jordan has always kind of been one of those premier pass rushers in the league. It’s kind of hard not to watch him when you play my position. I have gone back and looked at some of the film of how he has excelled in this defense under Dennis Allen.

While there are high hopes for Sweat, perhaps there is some hope for the other side of the defensive line finally. Poles acquired Dayo Odeyingbo. He could also thrive in Allen’s system. Let’s not forget second year defensive end Austin Booker. He has a ton of tools and just has to put it together. Allen could unlock that for him.

With Johnson a lot of people are looking forward to seeing a new look offense put up many points this season. However, with Allen as the coordinator and Sweat leading the way, the Chicago Bears defense can shut down opposing offenses and mark a return of the Monsters of the Midway.

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The Chicago Bears are in Week 2 of their training camp. The preseason starts in two weeks so the players will be hitting each other for some time. During camp, there will be a few position battles. Last week we took a look at the battle at left tackle. Today we look at the linebacker spot.

The Bears defense is a base 4-3 set. That means there are four linemen on the line and three linebackers. The linebacker spots at middle and weakside are set. Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards have those jobs locked down. However, during the offseason, the Chicago Bears cut Jack Sanborn.

Sanborn did a pretty good job when he played. It was more impressive since he signed with the Bears as an undrafted rookie. In 48 career games in Chicago (19 starts), he registered 164 tackles (14 for loss), 4.5 sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery.

With Dennis Allen as the new Chicago Bears defensive coordinator, though, the need for more quickness and speed was important. While Sanborn is a tough player who plays hard on every snap, there were times his lack of quickness/speed hurt him. The Chicago Bears made a big decision and let him go.

The battle at linebacker for the Chicago Bears

That opened up a battle. Noah Sewell, the backup linebacker for the last two seasons. He was the Bears’ fifth-round pick in 2023. He has 22 career games under his belt but was mainly a mainstay on special teams. He showed some flashes of talent in his time, but hadn’t been able to break through.

Sewell will have stiff competition, however. The Chicago Bears drafted Ruben Hyppolite II in the fourth round of this year’s draft. He has the speed that the coaching staff wants. At the NFL Combine he ran a 4.39-40 yard dash. For a linebacker that is blazing speed.

Hyppolite possesses the ability to read and react the play quickly. He can keep up with the quicker running backs and can get to the ball on throws made underneath. At 6 feet tall, 236 pounds, he will need to gain a little weight to handle the rigors of the position at the next level.

The Chicago Bears have been high on Sewell. However, injuries, including a hamstring issue that lingered through most of last season, hampered his progress. He is healthy now, though, and is ready to surprise people and show he could win the job.

While Sewell is not a pick by either Allen or head coach Ben Johnson, he has support among his teammates. Edmunds praises Sewell’s work ethic and physicality. If he can show that physicality during camp he could win the job. Hyppolite was picked by the current regime but his lack of physicality and experience could hurt him early.

Allen has an aggressive, downhill scheme. He likes to use instinctive linebackers who play with urgency and leverage. He also likes physical linebackers as well. That could give Sewell an advantage, especially early on.

Johnson spoke on the competition and stated how it was wide open.

We feel really good obviously about T.J. and Tremaine and what they’ve done over the course, not just of last year, but the last few years in this league…That third spot, it’s up for grabs and we do have a prototype. DA’s (Allen) got a prototype for what that SAM would look like. We’re more concerned with, let’s find our third-best linebacker and we’ll figure it out from there.

It will be an interesting battle for the strongside linebacker job. Each player has his positives and negatives. One has to believe that Sewell has an inside track early on. However, if Hyppolite can show that he can be more physical he can end up with the job. Having physicality and speed is something that can take him far.

However, Sewell finally has a chance to show what he is made of. He already has the tools that Allen covets so if he can show his abilities throughout training camp and the preseason games he could see himself as the starter in 2025 for the Chicago Bears.

The post Chicago Bears Training Camp 2025: Important battle at linebacker appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Everyone will be focused on Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears offense during training camp. However, Dennis Allen and Kevin Byard have some tricks up their sleeve on the defensive side as well.

On Thursday, the Bears re-signed Cook after previously releasing him. Upon his return to the team, Byard and the rest of the defense made him do his mandatory 40 up-downs, via Adam Hoge of CHGO. It’s now a part of Chicago’s culture and one Byard plans on implementing for every new defensive addition.

Defensive back Alex Cook, who was cut on report day before getting re-signed after yesterday’s practice, had to do his 40 up-downs that he missed. Kevin Byard said the entire defense circled around him as he “paid his toll” (as Dennis Allen puts it). #Bears

— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) July 24, 2025

Kevin Byard said before today's practice, they had Alex Cook who reported to camp and then was cut and is now signed back on the roster do up downs.

The team circled around Cook and watched him. It's a part of Dennis Allen building culture. #Bears

— Bear Report (@BearReport) July 24, 2025

#Bears safety Kevin Byard said Alex Cook, who the Bears re-signed today after releasing him Tuesday, had to do the up-downs that he missed yesterday.

Byard also said whoever joins the defense during the season will have to do the 40 up-downs.

— Michal Dwojak (@mdwojak94) July 24, 2025

Cook may not even end up making the final 53-man roster. However, the way the Bears treated him shows that the foundation Johnson and Allen are building has become sturdy. Players are holding each other accountable for a shared goal of success. It may just be 40 up-downs on the second day of training camp, but to Byard and Allen, the point is building the Bears as a collective unit.

“It was different. It took me back to high school. It almost felt like punishment,” Byard said, via CHGO. “That’s the type of family atmosphere DA is building for this defense.”

Kevin Byard on Dennis Allen having the defense do 40 up-downs yesterday to start practice:

"It was different. It took me back to high school. It almost felt like punishment. That's the type of family atmosphere DA is building for this defense."

— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) July 24, 2025

Chicago Bears must find defensive identity 

Matt Eberflus is a defensive-minded head coach and is now the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. But amidst Chicago’s 10-game losing streak, the defense just looked lost at times. They were unable to compete against the NFC North counterparts at full strength and ultimately failed to find their footing.

Under Allen, the Bears are expected to be much more disciplined. Not just with the up-downs, but Chicago’s entire coaching staff has been willing to call out players if they aren’t operating the play correctly. Allen understands there is plenty of change and new information being thrown out at training camp, but ultimately, he wants his defense ran correctly.

Working in his favor is the talent Chicago has been able to cultivate at all three levels. At edge, Dayo Odeyingbo is expected to help elevate former Pro Bowler Montez Sweat. Between them will be veteran Grady Jarrett and upstart Gervon Dexter. With Andrew Billings and Shemar Turner as backup, the Bears have invested heavily in improving their defensive line play.

At linebacker, Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards are running the show. Edmunds has already impressed Allen with an impressive training camp interception. Allen’s best secondary piece in Jaylon Johnson is currently out with injury. However, Byard, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon already make up a strong defensive core. Adding Johnson to the mix makes the unit arguably the team’s biggest strength.

As the Bears try to climb out of the NFC North cellar, they franchise has made major changes throughout their organization. Byard and Allen’s new ritual might not seem major on surface, but it’s extremely telling of Chicago’s newfound defensive identity.

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The Chicago Bears had their first training camp practice of the 2025 season on Wednesday. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is pulling no punches already to start the season. Allen has been well known for being a very tough coach who coaches his players extremely hard. This is nearly the exact opposite of how Matt Eberflus was when running the defense.

Wednesday’s practice was a slow ramp-up day, lasting only an hour and fifteen minutes. However, the Bears’ defensive coordinator is coaching his defense tough. According to Bears insider Brad Biggs, Allen had the defense doing up-downs while the offense was doing individual drills.

Dennis Allen had the entire defense doing up/downs while offense started individual drills. It’s the “toll” players have to pay to be part of the #Bears defense, Allen said. He says it prepares them mentally as much as it does physically.

— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) July 23, 2025

Dennis Allen is giving the Chicago Bears defense a gauntlet during training camp

During Wednesday’s post-practice press conference, Allen explained to the media why he coaches so tough. He explained that it is a “privilege to be on this defense.”

Dennis Allen on why he will be pushing his defense hard in training camp. “You have to pay the toll. You have to pay the price. It’s a privilege to be on this defense. Training camp is going to be difficult.”

— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) July 23, 2025

The former Saints head coach told the media that the players “have to pay the toll and have to pay the price” during these difficult practices. Chicago hasn’t had a tough defensive coordinator like this since Vic Fangio. Allen is going to be able to bring the best out of his defense and hopefully reignite the defensive line. The Bears’ defensive line struggled badly in 2024. With Allen leading the defense along with the signing of Grady Jarrett, the Bears’ pass rush could improve massively this season.

Allen previously had stints as head coach of the Saints and Raiders. He also had a six-year run as the defensive coordinator for the Saints before replacing Sean Payton as head coach. During his time in New Orleans, Allen consistently had a top-10 defense in the NFL. Allen also brings in valuable head coaching experience for the first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson.

The Bears’ defense desperately needed a hard-nosed coach who would coach tough and hold players accountable. This was hands down one of the best hires on Johnson’s coaching staff.

“You have to pay the toll. You have to pay the price. It’s a privilege to be on this defense.”

Dennis Allen says he’s training the Bears’ defense to be physically and mentally tough. pic.twitter.com/x7QX6r31k5

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 23, 2025

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Quarterback Caleb Williams will be the most watched player during Chicago Bears training camp. However, on day one, the defense came away as the true stars.

In particular, veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds started off training camp hot, intercepting Williams on his first pass in 11-on-11 drills. Seeing the defense shine makes sense early in camp, especially as Williams and company learn Johnson’s offense. However, Edmunds himself is entering a make-or-break season. More flash plays like his pick will only put him in stronger graces with his new head coach.

Alongside Johnson, new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was certainly impressed by Edmunds’ play. As he builds his first defense with Bears, Allen expects the linebacker to simply be an, “exceptional playmaker,” via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

LB Tremaine Edmunds nabbed an interception of Caleb Williams on the first snap of 11-on-11 drills this morning. #Bears DC Dennis Allen said he expects him to be an "exceptional playmaker."

— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) July 23, 2025

Tremaine Edmunds’ run with Chicago Bears 

After a successful five-year run with the Buffalo Bills, the Bears signed Edmunds to a $72 million contract entering the 2023 season. While he hasn’t been a complete disaster, it’s fair to say the linebacker hasn’t lived up to his billing just yet.

Over 32 games with the team, Edmunds has racked up 223 tackles, 15 passes defended and five interceptions. Four of those picks came in 2023. as Edmunds’ 2024 59.2 grade from Pro Football Focus ranked just 119/189 linebackers. Clearly, the veteran still has a lot to prove entering 2025. And if things really don’t pan out, Chicago does have an out in his contract.

However, the Bears are hopeful Edmunds will return to his game breaking self in 2025. During his time with the New Orleans Saints, Allen was able to coax impressive linebacker play. During the 2024 campaign, Demario Davis put up an eye-catching 136 tackles alongside seven passes defended and an interception. Davis and Edmunds are obviously two completely different players, but it’s easy to see how the latter could be a force in Allen’s scheme.

One interception, even if it opened training camp, isn’t going to change the expectations placed on Edmunds’ shoulders. Despite being a veteran, head coach Ben Johnson is wiping the slate clean and making everyone on the roster earn their opportunity. Still, Edmunds has more than proved he can be a dominant force in the NFL. Now, Allen is just patiently waiting to unleash him once more.

The post Key Chicago Bears defensive veteran gets stern 2-word Dennis Allen appraisal appeared first on ChiCitySports.

When Chicago Bears training camp opened, it was revealed that cornerback Jaylon Johnson is dealing with a multi-week leg injury. As defensive coordinator Dennis Allen builds out his new defense, he won’t have arguably Chicago’s best defensive player to work with.

Still, general manager Ryan Poles expressed optimism that Johnson’s injury wouldn’t be a long-term issue. The Bears are counting on it, as the cornerback is expected to follow any opposing team’s top receiving threat. Simply put Johnson is a key cog in  the Bears’ defense.

Luckily for the cornerback, Allen is now echoing Poles’ message. While the Bears will need to be patient for Johnson’s return to the field, Allen is expecting that to come sooner rather than later, via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

“I feel good about him being ready when his body’s ready to go,” Allen said.

#Bears DC Dennis Allen on Jaylon Johnson: "I feel good about him being ready when his body's ready to go."

— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) July 23, 2025

Chicago Bears relying on Jaylon Johnson 

With Johnson out, the Bears turned to Nahshon Wright in the first unit, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN. Wright signed a one-year deal with Chicago over the offseason and is coming to the Windy City with 33 games of NFL experience. But in Wright or any cornerback, the Bears would be hard pressed to find a talent as strong as Johnson.

Since joining the Bears in 2020, the cornerback has made 214 tackles, 49 pass break ups and seven interceptions. He is coming off of his second-straight Pro Bowl appearance after registering a career-high 53 tackles alongside eight pass break ups and two picks. Johnson’s 76.2 grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 20/222 cornerbacks.

Allen runs an aggressive, attacking defense. That should benefit Johnson, will be given opportunities to show how strong he can be. If he continues to operate at a Pro Bowl level while being a menace against the league’s best, no one in the NFL world will be questioning where Johnson stands.

But the first step is getting back on the field. Poles confirmed that there will be more updates as training camp progresses. While Allen didn’t put a timeline on Johnson’s return, his optimism is at least a good sign for the cornerback’s long-term outlook.

The post Chicago Bears DC Dennis Allen’s immediate reaction to Jaylon Johnson injury appeared first on ChiCitySports.

For the first ten years of his NFL career, Grady Jarrett played for the Atlanta Falcons. He routinely faced off against Dennis Allen, who was with the organization since 2015, becoming head coach in 2022. But as fate would have at, both now found themselves on the Chicago Bears entering the 2025 campaign.

Allen’s run as head coach didn’t pan out as the Saints hoped. However, he is still a well respected defensive mind. He will be tasked will not only revitalizing Chicago’s defense, but using his experience to help first-year head coach Ben Johnson get acclimated.

The Bears signed Jarrett to a three-year, $43.5 million contract during the offseason. He’ll not only be a crucial veteran presence, but a key run stopper Chicago desperately needs.

As he prepares for his first training camp with the Bears, Jarrett is ready to push himself harder than he ever has in chase of the best version of himself. He came to the Windy City with already a high level of respect for Allen. But now he has seen firsthand exactly what he brings to the table, via the team’s Tuesday press conference.

“Not surprised by anything. The grittiness, the attention to detail, the knowledge of knowing what everybody should be doing from front to back and how it all works together. Communicating to us as a defense what his expectations are on a daily basis is something I’m really appreciative of,” Jarrett said. “It’s definitely going to make us all better.”

“He’s somebody who’s hungry as ever just to go out there, compete and play football,” he continued. “He has some players that are ready to go out and hunt for him. He challenges us everyday, he is not making it easy on us and babying us as far as the defense, what he wants to call. It gives the expectation for guys all involved to know that he’s not going to call things to make us comfortable, he wants to run the defense a certain way and he’s going to make sure his players go out there able to do it.”

Grady Jarrett joins Chicago Bears

Jarrett isn’t too concerned with being labeled a leader. He knows if he puts his best effort forward everyday, that same mentally will permeate throughout the locker room. Still, Jarrett will be in the center of a culture defining season for the Bears in 2025.

“When you set the standard it’s the standard. As that culture continues to breathe, it’ll be evident of the guys who are all-in on the culture of what we’re building and the one’s who not, it ain’t for everybody. But by the time we get to that first game, any guy with a Chicago Bear on them going to be putting in work, earned their spot, it’s definitely going to be earned.”

After suffering a torn ACL in 2023, Jarrett was able to start all 17 games in 2024. He made 53 tackles, 12 quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks. While his numbers may not explode off the page, the Bears are confident that he will take a step forward with another year removed from his injury. Over his entire 10-year career with the Falcons, Jarrett put up 496 tackles, 126 quarterback hits and 36.5 sacks. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2019 and 2020.

But now, Jarrett is embracing his second NFL life on the Bears. After facing off against Allen for years, he’ll now play under him. While it’ll take time for the defense to be fully put together, Jarrett thinks the pairing will be a perfect match.

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The Chicago Bears will start their training camp activities at the end of this week, as there are many expectations and intriguing stories lines leading up to the 2025 season. With new head coach Ben Johnson, there will be immense pressure to see what will transpire with the offense and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. Although there will be significant focus on Johnson, there will be as much pressure on new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and if the proven defensive play-caller can fix a pass-rushing issue that plagued the team for the several years.

Dennis Allen has to develop one of the younger defensive linemen as a credible pass-rush threat

Dennis Allen has been a defensive play-caller for the last 14 years, whether as a defensive coordinator or as a head coach and has consistently had success. Allen’s defensive units have constantly ranked in the top ten of most league defensive stats for the past decade during his time as a coordinator and coach for the New Orleans Saints. The primary staples the defensive coordinator’s success has been a consistent pass-rush generated by the defensive line and takeaways created off the pressure, whether fumbles or interceptions.

With Allen as the Bears’ new defensive coordinator, he will be solely in charge of the defense as Johnson’s primary focus for the head coach will be on developing and getting the offense to an elite-level. Despite Chicago having several veteran playmakers on defense that can help generate turnovers for Dennis Allen, it will up to the coordinator to generate defensive linemen that can generate reliable and consistent pass-rush pressure. Outside of defensive linemen Montez Sweat, Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo, the Bears’ defensive line does not have a player who has recorded more than six sacks in a season.

Although Odeyingbo and Jarrett were added via free agency this offseason, the main concern is if the younger players, especially the defensive ends, can generate pass-rush pressure under Allen’s defense. Linemen like Gervon Dexter, Austin Booker, and rookie lineman Shemar Turner need to assist the proven veterans in creating sacks against opposing quarterbacks. Over the past two seasons’ the Bears’ defense has struggled significantly in sacking quarterbacks, as Sweat was isolated due to there being any other credible threats on defense.

One of Allen’s best attributes as a defensive coach has been his ability to create reliable and threatening pass-rusher whether during his time in Denver, Oakland, and New Orleans.  From 2018 to 2023, Dennis Allen oversaw a Saints’ defense that featured two more defensive linemen who recorded six or more sacks, while having a different lineman record seven or more sacks in each of the last three seasons. Over the last three years, Chicago did not have a defensive player record six or more sacks, except for Sweat in the second half of the 2023 seasons.

A helpful aspect to Allen’s defensive scheme is that it is a hybrid Cover-2 and is similar to what a majority of the defensive players have played in the last three season in Chicago under former head coach Matt Eberflus. For the Bears defense to be successful in 2025, they will need pass-rush pressure from other than Sweat, Odeyingbo, and Jarrett. That means that Dennis Allen will have develop either Booker, Turner, or Dexter, with one of them needing to capitalize on opposing offensive pass-blocking assignments being significantly focused on one of the more reliable veterans.

Dennis Allen must repeat the same success that Vic Fangio had

For the Bears to have a return to a consistent pass-rush pressure from the defensive line. Allen will have to generate similar results to that of former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who oversaw a reliable defensive unit for four seasons. Fangio was Chicago’s defensive play-caller from 2015 to 2018, as his defense consistently featured pressure from defensive linemen as a team staple. Several defensive ends saw success playing in the defensive coach’s 3-4 scheme, which relied on their presence to help stop opposing quarterbacks.

The 2015 season displayed Fangio’s talent for developing pass-rushers, as he helped several defensive veterans either have the same level of production or a bounce back year in a completely new defensive scheme. Despite shifting from a 4-3 to 3-4 defensive gameplan, edge rushers like Willie Young, LaMarr Houston, and Pernell McPhee each recorded six or more sacks. During Vic Fangio’s four seasons as defensive coordinator for the Bears, the unit averaged 41 sacks a year.

It is that level of constant pass-rush pressure that Dennis Allen will have to create and develop for the Bears’ defense in 2025. If Allen wants to see the same production that Fangio had during his four years as a defensive coordinator, then one of his younger defensive linemen will need to be turned into a star. The former defensive play-caller developed defensive end Akiem Hicks, who recorded 23 sacks from 2017 to 2018 while being named to the Pro Bowl in 2018.

Allen will become a successful coordinator for the Bears not only if the defense is a top ten unit statistically, but if one of the younger defensive players has a breakout season. Imagine a scenario where Booker records eight or more sacks, especially with how he was receiving comparisons to All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby during the draft process last year. Dennis Allen has proven capable of developing players and defenses as a whole during his 15 year play-calling career, but he can solidify himself as one of the best ever if he can do it for the Bears now.

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While everyone has been focused on new head coach Ben Johnson and what he’ll bring to the offense, Dennis Allen’s defensive changes will be just as crucial for a true Chicago Bears revival. At least working in his favor is the fact the Bears roster one of the best linebackers in the league.

Tremaine Edmunds is coming off of a down year by most standards. However, there is a reason Chicago is paying him a hefty $72 million. As the Bears prepare for the 2025 campaign, how Edmunds performs will be crucial for any defensive success.

At least in the eyes of NFL executive, coaches and scouts, the linebacker is in a strong position to put together a breakout season. Edmunds is ranked as the sixth-best off-ball linebacker entering 2025, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

“He has the prototypical physique, athletic ability and speed that you covet in an ILB in today’s game,” an NFL personnel director said. “He can diagnose playing downhill in the box, he can play sideline to sideline and has the coverage ability to match up in zone or man coverage.”

“”Smart, but not as instinctive as you’d hope,” an NFL coordinator added. “If you put his ability with [teammate T.J. Edwards’] instincts, you’d have an All-Pro.”

Chicago Bears counting on Tremaine Edmunds 

It’s not like Edmunds’ 2025 season was a complete disaster. He still registered 110 tackles, eight passes defended, a sack and an interception. But Edmunds’ 59.2 grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 119/189 linebackers. The Bears are expecting more out of the $72 million man.

That’s not to say he hasn’t been impressive. Edmunds registered a career-high four interceptions in his Bears debut. As Johnson, Allen and company built out their new-look defense, they did so with Edmunds in mind. Chicago would like to see him return to Pro Bowl form, as he made the event twice with the Buffalo Bills. But to this point in the offseason, Edmunds has only received praise for the work he has done and will do in 2025.

Working in Edmunds’ favor will be the presence of Allen. While his time as head coach of the New Orleans Saints didn’t work out, his scheme highlighted how strong of a linebacker Davis is. He made the Pro Bowl in both 2022 and 2023 before registering 136 tackles, seven passes and two sacks in 2024. Edmunds and Davis are completely different players. But it wouldn’t be a shock to see Edmunds rise as a true leader in Allen’s scheme.

The Bears do have an out in Edmunds’ contract following the season, meaning another rocky campaign could end his time in the Windy City. However, if he really is the sixth-best linebacker in the NFL, Chicago won’t want him to leave anytime soon.

Don’t forget about TJ Edwards

While TJ Edwards didn’t make the list, he was listed among fellow linebackers earning votes. He was the first name listed in that category for good measure. But no matter the rankings, the Bears clearly believe in Edwards and proved it by awarding him a $20 million contract extension.

In his Chicago debut, Edwards put up 155 tackles, seven passes defended, three picks and 2.5 sacks. His tackles fell to 129 in 2024, but Edwards still made three passes defended, a pick and a career-high four sacks. His drop in production did hurt his PFF numbers though, as Edwards’ 60.7 grade ranked 108/189 linebackers.

But like Edmunds, Edwards should receive a boost by the arrival of Johnson and Allen. Chicago went through plenty of coaching changes in 2024. Now, the linebackers will be in a consistent scheme with plenty of opportunities to shine.

Edwards has already proven his worth to the Bears, landing his contract extension. But a breakout season could move him into the top ten 2026. Arguably more important to Chicago, it’d put the team’s defense on the map again.

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For as much hype as head coach Ben Johnson’s arrival has brought to the Chicago Bears’ offense, the defense is expected to go through massive changes as well. Leading the charge will be new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

He comes to the Windy City with plenty of coaching experience and will be a pillar for Johnson as he makes the jump from offensive coordinator to head coach. But when it comes to defense, Allen is inheriting a unit that ranked 27th in 2024, allowing 354.3 yards per game.

The Bears have a number of solid building blocks in place, but Allen still needs to find a way to put all the pieces together. However, things could get rocky in year one. If the wheels were to truly fall off for Chicago, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report expects the cause to be team’s secondary and linebacker corps being tested.

“Allen is inheriting a young, talented secondary led by Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon,” Ballentine wrote. “However, Kevin Byard is going to be 32 when the season starts and Jaquan Brisker missed all but five games last season. It’s not guaranteed that everything will work out at safety.

“The Bears’ potential lack of depth at inside linebacker makes that even more troubling,” Ballentine continued. “If Tremaine Edmunds or T.J. Edwards are forced to miss time, then fourth-round pick Ruben Hyppolite II could be forced into action before he’s ready. That scenario would put a ton of pressure on a front four that still has a lot to prove.”

Chicago Bears secondary, linebackers 

In both the secondary and in Chicago’s linebacker room, the depth chart is top loaded but lacks high levels of depth. Still, the team’s secondary is considered arguably the Bears biggest strength.

The unit is highlighted by cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who is looking to prove he is one of the best defensive backs in the league. In the slot will be Kyler Gordon, who received an extension making him the highest paid player at his position. The biggest question mark remaining is Tyrique Stevenson, who is poised to start opposite Johnson. He has shown flashes in the past, but he must show consistency to retain his role.

Chicago’s safety situation is straightforward heading into 2025, Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker will be the starters. However, both are free agents after the season. Byard is entering his age-32 campaign while Brisker played in just five games in 2024 due to a concussion. Sooner rather than later, the Bears must consider the future of the position.

At linebacker TJ Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds are leading the way. But behind them is a list of unheralded options. Fourth-round rookie Ruben Hyppolite has been impressive. But it’d be quite the vote of confidence for him to have a sizable role out of the gate.

Training camp will have clean up both positions and answer plenty of questions. But Allen must ensure there aren’t any weak spots in the second and third levels of his defense.

Glass half full 

There is a reason the Bears have once again earned their now infamous ‘Offseason Champion,’ moniker. Looking at the defensive side, a pair of defensive additions alongside Allen’s arrival has led to plenty of optimism.

The list of elite defensive coordinators who are previous head coaches in the NFL is impressive. Vic Fangio, Brian Flores, Jim Schwartz and Steve Spagnuolo are routinely putting out great defenses after struggling as HCs,” Ballentine wrote. “The Bears’ best-case scenario is that Dennis Allen immediately adds himself to that list.”

“If Allen can get new addition Dayo Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat to break out while Grady Jarrett and rookie Shemar Turner help improve the run defense, then the Bears can go from a middle-of-the-pack unit to top 10,” Ballentine concluded.

The Bears signed Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo to a pair of deals worth nearly $100 million. Odeyingbo will line up opposite Montez Sweat, the unquestioned leader on Chicago’s defensive line. Between them will be Jarrett and Gervon Dexter, who is coming off of a breakout five-sack campaign.

Add in a returning Andrew Billings and second-round pick Shemar Turner and thinks look much stronger across the Bears defensive line. Playing in the NFC North, they know they need to bring constant pressure to the backfield.

But it’s one thing to be impressive on paper and another to register results. Come Week 1, Allen and company will be looking to prove the Bears defense is legit.

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The Chicago Bears have always been known for their dominating linebackers throughout their storied franchise history. Dick Butkus, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, and Mike Singletary to name just a few.

The Bears have two very good starting linebackers on their roster: Tremaine Edumunds and TJ Edwards. The problem is that both starters failed to live up to their expectations in the 2024 season.

However, with Dennis Allen running the defense moving forward, the Bears’ linebacker core should see a huge improvement in 2025.

In a new ranking from Pro Football Focus, the Bears’ linebacker unit ranks in the middle of the pack at number 14.

The Chicago Bears’ linebackers unit ranks third overall in the NFC North

The NFC North has a loaded group of linebackers. Chicago’s unit ranks third overall among NFC North teams in PFF’s latest ranking.

The Detroit Lions were ranked second overall in the NFL with star players such as Alex Anzalone and. Jack Campbell. The Minnesota Vikings were ranked 10th overall due to the overall production their unit made in 2024, despite not having household names. The Green Bay Packers rank last among the NFC North, coming in at the 18th spot.

PFF had this to say regarding the Bears’ linebackers unit:

“The Bears will be hoping for a bounce-back campaign from their two highly paid veteran linebackers. Tremaine Edmunds hasn’t been able to reach the heights of his outstanding 2022, when he earned an 81.9 PFF overall grade. In two seasons with Chicago, Edmunds has posted a below-average 57.5 PFF overall grade.

T.J. Edwards played very well in 2023 but notched a career-worst 60.7 PFF overall grade last season. New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will need to extract better production out of the pair, considering the lack of experience behind them.”

TJ Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds must bounce back in 2025

In order for the Bears defense to have a stronger 2025, Edmunds and Edwards must go back to their old form. Edwards earned himself a contract extension this past offseason and needs to get back to dominating in tackles and making plays. Edmunds had a rough 2024 and will need to step up in a huge way to stay on this roster moving forward.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen needs to get the best out of his starters also due to the lack of experience the backups have. There is a chance Noah Sewell and get some playing time. Chicago also has veteran linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga and rookie Ruben Hyppolite apart of its linebacker core.

Hyppolite is an interesting name to watch during this upcoming preseason as well. Head coach Ben Johnson had many great things to say about the rookie during OTAs. Hyppolite could end up becoming a solid depth piece for this unit.

If Edmunds and Edwards can get back to their old ways, Dennis Allen should have a lot of fun running a potential dominant defense during the 2025 season.

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The Chicago Bears completely revamped their defensive line over the offseason, signing Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo to a pair of deals that totaled nearly $100 million. But not everyone is convinced Chicago’s defensive line is truly improved.

The Bears finished right in the middle of the pack with 40 sacks in 2024. However, their run defense was abysmal as Chicago ranked 28th overall, allowing 136.3 yards per game. New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will be looking for his defensive line to be more consistent and explosive.

Jarrett and Odeyingbo are expected to leaders on the Bears’ new-look defense. However, Chicago still placed just 18th on Pro Football Focus’ preseason defensive line rankings.

“The Bears added veteran interior defender Grady Jarrett to a unit that lacks star power but has plenty of starting-caliber players,” Zoltan Buday wrote. “In 2024, Chicago’s defense generated pressure on 34.2% of pass plays without blitzing, which ranked sixth in the NFL.”

“The 2024 defensive line was led by second-year interior defender Gervon Dexter Sr., whose 70.3 PFF overall grade ranked 23rd at the position,” he concluded.

Chicago Bears additions 

Jarrett spent the first 10 years of his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons. Making the jump to the Bears will present its own set of challenges. As will the fact that Jarrett’s entering his age-32 campaign. Still, Chicago gave the defensive tackle a $43.5 million contract because the franchise still believes he has plenty of gas left in the tank.

Over his tenure with the Falcons, Jarrett racked up 496 tackles, 126 quarterback hits and 36.5 sacks, being voted to the Pro Bowl twice. He suffered a torn ACL in 2023, limiting his play. Still, Jarrett played in all 17 games during the 2024 season, making 53 tackles, 12 quarterback hits and 36.5 sacks. Alongside his work on the field, Jarrett will be a crucial leader for the Bears throughout his time in Chicago.

Odeyingbo has spent his four-year NFL career exclusively with the Indianapolis Colts to this point. Overall, he has made 106 tackles, 46 quarterback hits and 16.5 sacks. Odeyingbo is coming off of back-to-back 17 quarterback hit campaigns and registered eight sacks in 2023. Training camp will be crucial for Odeyingbo to get acclimated to his knew role. But the Bears only expect him to grow further in Chicago.

Both players will need to prove themselves, but there’s a reason the Bears targeted Jarrett and Odeyingbo so aggressively in free agency.

Windy City returners 

When talking about Chicago’s defensive line, the unquestioned leader is Montez Sweat. While his play has been a bit muted in the Windy City, Sweat is still expected to undertake a commandeering role in Allen’s scheme.

The pass rusher led the Bears in sacks during the 2024 season, however, that meant just 5.5. He made six in his Chicago debut, which was apart of a 12.5-sack Pro Bowl campaign. Still, if Sweat has a clearer path to the quarterback and is able to create chaos in the opposing team’s backfield, it’s easy to see his numbers skyrocket in 2025.

Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter had a breakout season in 2024, finishing second on the team with five sacks. He added 51 tackles and 19 quarterback hits, ranking 28/219 defensive tackles with his 70.3 grade from Pro Football Focus. If Dexter takes another step forward playing next to Jarrett, he will solidified his role in Chicago’s defensive core.

The Bears will also see veteran Andrew Billings return from injury. While he will be in more of a rotational role, it was clear Chicago’s run defense took a major hit when he suffered his season-ending injury. Billings’ return should plug up holes in the middle.

Allen and company will need to put all the pieces in their proper place. Still, the Bears will have an opportunity to blow past expectations if everyone hits their ceiling.

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While Ben Johnson’s arrival to the Chicago Bears has shined a spotlight on the offense, the franchise knows they need to have a defensive revival as well. That’s where new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen comes in.

One of the most respected defensive minds in the NFL, Allen will play a crucial role in helping Johnson get acclimated as head coach. Furthermore, he’ll play a massive roll in re-tooling Chicago’s defense. The Bears have plenty of strong building blocks in place, but it’ll be up to Allen to find the perfect structure.

As he begins his tenure, there are sure to be some speed bumps along the road. The biggest concern is simply getting the roster up to speed with Allen’s complex system, argues Mike Jones of The Athletic.

“Allen was hired after 10 seasons in New Orleans, the last three as head coach, and he has an expansive bag of tricks with varied fronts, diverse blitz packages and coverages,” Jones wrote. “Asked for thoughts on their initial introduction to their new leader’s system, Chicago’s defensive players described Allen’s philosophies as “very complex.”

“Top pass rusher Montez Sweat noted how much more extensive Allen’s schemes were compared to previous defenses in which he has played. It could take some time for Chicago’s players to fully absorb all of Allen’s defense, which isn’t necessarily a good thing,” Jones continued. “Players are at their best when they can attack instinctively. There are hours of training camp and preseason practices ahead of them, but the Bears could be looking at a slow start to the season.”

Chicago Bears try to remedy defensive disaster 

During the 2024 campaign, Chicago ranked 27th in total defense, allowing 354.3 yards per game. The biggest issue was on the ground, as the Bears ranked 28th overall, allowing 136.3 yards per game. General manager Ryan Poles and company took an aggressive approach in addressing the issue during the offseason.

The franchise signed 10-year veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to a three-year contract and then drafted fellow DT Shemar Turner in the second-round. Garrett is now poised to start next to Gervon Dexter, who is coming off of a five-sack campaign. Add in the fact that veteran Andrew Billings is coming back from his season-ending injury, and at least on paper Chicago’s run defense looks stronger.

The secondary was arguably Chicago’s biggest strength in 2024. They ranked 16th in pass defense by allowing 217.9 yards per game. With players like Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon and Kevin Byard in place, secondary should once again be one of the Bears’ strongest defensive suits in 2025.

Only helping the cause would be amped up pass rush. The Bears signed Dayo Odeyingbo to help in that regard. Coming off of back-to-back 17 quarterback hit campaigns with the Indianapolis Colts, the 25-year-old is expected to take another leap forward with the Bears. Furthermore, his presence should help further activate fellow pass rusher Montez Sweat opposite him.

There are a lot of moving pieces in terms of a true defensive turnaround. But if Allen can make it all work, Chicago will be a scary threat for any opponent in 2025.

Dennis Allen helping right the ship

Allen’s run as head coach of the New Orleans Saints didn’t go to plan. However, he has been a coach in the NFL since 2022. He’s held the defensive coordinator role in numerous spots and proved he is capable of leading a unit. Johnson is confident that Allen will find his stride with the Bears.

From 2015-2021, Allen served as defensive coordinator of the Saints. By 2019, he was able to help the team finish 11th in defense, allowing 333.1 YPG. But it’d only get better from there. From 2020-2022, the Saints never finished lower than seventh in total defense. New Orleans peaked in 2020, ranking fourth by allowing 310.9 YPG.

While it may be his first year on the job, Allen is already throwing plenty of information at the Bears defense. He wants to be aggressive and throw numerous different schemes at opposing offenses. But to do all, all 11 players must be on the same page.

Throughout training camp, how Allen coaches up the defense will be under a microscope. The tools are all in front of him to succeed. Getting the Bears defense back on track would not only shine a light on Allen’s coaching expertise, but put the NFC North on notice for the foreseeable future.

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Dennis Allen came into his role as Chicago Bears defensive coordinator with a number of strong building blocks in place. However, he has spent the offseason figuring out how to best maximize Chicago’s new-look defense.

Fans are well aware of the Bears’ additions in free agency and the draft. However, one group that gets overlooked is the team’s collection of undrafted free agents. There’s a reason each player wasn’t selected, but that doesn’t mean they can’t evolve into a future difference maker.

The Bears are well aware of that scenario, most recently seeing Jack Sanborn – who is now with the Dallas Cowboys – go from UDFA to starter. When it comes to the 2025 undrafted class, Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report argues defensive back Tysheem Johnson will make the biggest impact in Chicago.

“Johnson is a modern defensive back, in that he can play both safeties, corner and cover the slot,” Sobleski wrote. “He can be moved all over to help with the back end’s flexibility, which creates a chance to make the roster because the front office sees a defender who can do more when necessary instead of being pigeonholed into one position.”

What Tysheem Johnson offers Chicago Bears 

Johnson spent the first two years of his college career at Ole Miss and his final two at Oregon, appearing in 54 games total. He racked up 262 tackles, 11 pass break ups and six interceptions. He set a new career-high with three picks as a senior.

However, he saw his passes defended drop to just one. Furthermore, Johnson set his career-high of 78 sacks during his sophomore season at Ole Miss. Still, that season was the only year he didn’t record an interception. His inconsistent play throughout college is what ultimately led to Johnson going undrafted.

But there are plenty of reasons the Bears decided to target him, starting with his versatility. Johnson plays safety predominantly. However, he has experience at cornerback as well. If he were to make the final roster, Johnson could fill a swing role at any defensive back position.

Furthermore, Johnson’s interceptions aren’t lost on Chicago. Head coach Ben Johnson wants playmakers all over his roster, including defense. If Johnson proves through the offseason program that his takeaway skills are legit, that would leave a lasting impression on the coaching staff.

Johnson wants to stick in Dennis Allen’s defense

If he truly shines, maybe Johnson enters the conversation in terms of safety of the future with Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker upcoming free agents. But as an undrafted free agent, he would need to have a truly breakout rookie season. Still, the Bears remain confident they found a diamond in the rough.

Training camp will be extremely telling for Johnson and every UDFA trying to make the Bears. Allen will certainly have his eyes on the defensive back as the teams go through their final cuts.

The post Chicago Bears’ Dennis Allen finds secret weapon in undrafted free agent appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears, at least on paper, have massively improved their roster entering the 2025 campaign. However, one clear area the team can still address is their pass rush.

The Bears still have Montez Sweat and they signed Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year, $48 million contract. However, behind them is unheralded players such as Daniel Hardy, Dominique Robinson and Austin Booker. Coming off a season with a middling 40 sacks and Sweat leading the way with just 5.5, Chicago is looking to bring much more chaos to opposing team’s backfields.

New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will play a massive role in shaping the Bears’ new defense. If Chicago decides to give him some extra help in free agency, Moe Moton of Bleacher Reports argues the team should target edge rusher Tanoh Kpassagnon.

“The Bears signed Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year, $48 million contract,” Moton wrote. “He’ll line up opposite Montez Sweat on the edge. Austin Booker has a chance to take on the third-most snaps at defensive end, but he’s unproven, going into his second term after playing 27 percent of Chicago’s defensive snaps last year.”

“While with the New Orleans Saints, Kpassagnon played in Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense between 2021 and 2024,” Moton concluded. “He would provide quality depth as a plug-and-play rotational end.”

How Tanoh Kpassagnon impacts Chicago Bears 

Kpassagnon has played under Allen on the New Orleans Saints every season since 2021. Injuries played a massive toll in his ability to contribute. An Achilles tear limited to Kpassagnon to just three games in 2024. However, when on the field, the pass rusher has shown flashes of brilliance.

He matched his career-high with four sacks in 2021. Then in 2023, Kpassagnon set a new-career high with three sacks in one game. He put up 9.5 sacks total during his four years with New Orleans and 24 quarterback hits.

Prior to his Saints tenure, Kpassagnon began his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs as a second-round pick in 2017. He was a major contributor in 2020, starting a career-high 15 games. Overall, Kpassagnon registered seven sacks and 18 quarterbacks, winning a Super Bowl title with Kansas City.

Throughout his NFL career, the edge rusher has been put into rotational situations. Of his 104 appearances, only 34 are starts. However, that’s exactly what Chicago is looking for. They want Odeyingbo to start and thrive after doling out all that cash. But having an experience backup behind both him and Sweat make the Bears more dynamic and consistent.

If there’s one coach who knows how to get the most out of Kpassagnon, it’s Allen. He and the entire team first want to see what they already have on the roster, and if additions are really necessary. But if the pass rush continues being a problem throughout the offseason, the Bears could turn to outside help.

Kpassagnon may not be the hottest name on the market, but he fits what the Bears are trying to build. His connection to Allen and why that makes him a strong fit can’t be overstated. Overall, when it comes to free agent pass rushers, Kpassagnon could be on the short list if Chicago looks to make a move.

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New head coach Ben Johnson hasn’t wasted any time resetting the Chicago Bears‘ culture inside Halas Hall.

Just two practices into this offseason’s OTAs, and Johnson has already established a competitive climate and detail-oriented culture for a team that’s looking to break a four-year playoff drought and in hopes of winning its first postseason game since Chicago native Barack Obama occupied the Oval Office.

Some of the Bears’ veterans have been among the first to note the shift in tone, and expectations from Johnson and the coaching staff.

“If we’re messing up on something, got to call you out for it, but it’s a good call out, you know what I mean?” linebacker Tremaine Edmunds told reporters, following Wednesday’s practice. “It keeps everybody on their toes, keeps everybody responsible as far as getting that playbook and, like I said, man, just his energy on the field. You definitely feel that.”

According to Edmunds, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has been running a tight ship from the first rep of practices this spring.

“It’s been good, a lot of intensity,” Edmunds said of Allen, “Obviously a guy that had success in the league over in New Orleans. They had a lot of good years, good defenses, and, like I said, just his energy, man, and what he demands from his players.

“I think that’s the number one thing that sticks out. Obviously he holds the guys accountable. You can see that at an early stage.”

Chicago finished the 2024 campaign ranked 26th in total defense, and the Bears are banking on Allen’s experience as well as key additions such as Grady Jarrett, Dayo Odeyingbo, and a deep crop of incoming rookies being enough to climb the rankings this fall.

If early returns are any indication, Johnson and staff are setting the foundation to build towards a potential quick turnaround.

Chicago Bears’ defender named best player on the roster, entering 2025

As vital as setting a winning culture is to success in the NFL, winning starts with talent, and Allen has one of the premier players at a premium position at his disposal.

Jaylon Johnson has developed into one of the top cornerbacks across the NFL, and according to Pro Football Focus, is the highest-rated player on the Bears’ roster as the upcoming season nears.

“Johnson saw a dip in impact and efficiency in 2024,” Trevor Sikkema writes for PFF. “Going from a 90.4 coverage grade in 2023 to 74.2, but that decline is modest for a position known for volatility.”

Last season, Johnson pulled down two interceptions while posting 53 total tackles as opposing quarterbacks had a meager 85.7 passer rating when targeting him.

Allen’s arrival, and a some key additions up front that could generate pressure on the quarterback, could be a huge benefit to Johnson and the rest of the secondary in 2025.

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While not the most glaring hole on their roster, the Chicago Bears must soon consider their future at safety. If the Bears were to look to the free agent market for some extra depth, one name stands out as a potential option.

Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker are both slated to be free agents after the 2025 season. Furthermore, Byard is entering his age-32 season while Brisker played in just five games during the 2024 campaign due to a concussion. Both are still slated to enter the 2025 campaign as Chicago’s starting safeties. However, the Bears could use a bit of short and long-term help at the position.

At this stage of free agency, many of the big names have already signed. However, there are a number of veteran safeties that remain available. When it comes to potential Bears additions, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune is advising fans to keep their eye on former New Orleans Saints standout Marcus Williams.

“One name to keep an eye on is Marcus Williams,” Biggs wrote. “He spent his first five seasons playing for Allen with the Saints. What I don’t know is how much Williams, who turns 29 in September, has left. The Ravens released him in March after he spent the last three seasons in Baltimore. Williams lost his starting job last season and didn’t play after Week 12.”

Biggs isn’t saying that the Bears are showing active interest in Williams or that any talks have taken place. However, if Chicago were to add a safety, it’s easy to see why they would target Williams.

How Marcus Williams affects Chicago Bears 

The safety signing wouldn’t send off fireworks if you look at just his 2024 output. Williams fell out of favor with the Baltimore Ravens, appearing in 11 games and starting nine. In fact, his entire return with the Ravens was marred by injury, failing to appear in more than 11 games. However, Williams began his career with Dennis Allen on the Saints. If there’s one coach who knows how to get the most out of him, it’s Allen.

Over Williams’ five-year return in New Orleans, the safety racked up 320 tackles, 38 passes defended and 15 interceptions. He had at least two picks every year with the Saints with the 2018 season marking the only time he had less than seven pass break ups. Overall, Williams is remembered for his blunder against the Minnesota Vikings in the “Minneapolis Miracle.”  However, he was a solid ballhawk during his time under Allen.

With the Bears, Williams wouldn’t be thrown into the fire. Instead, he would join Elijah Hicks and Jonathan Owens as backup options. If Brisker were to suffer another injury, Williams’ veteran presence would help Chicago pick up the pieces.

Still, Allen and company need to make sure Williams is fully healthy before joining the franchise. Furthermore, the safety’s final season in New Orleans was 2021. After his poor 2024 season with the Ravens, does he still have enough juice to contribute?

The Bears have been diligent, handpicking every addition made to their roster. If Chicago were to sign Williams, it’d be a clear indication that Allen is confident he can get the safety back up to speed.

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After going offense with their first three picks of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears finally selected a defensive player with their No. 62 overall pick. Now, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will be tasked with molding Shemar Turner into his new-look defense.

Rookie minicamp gave Allen an opportunity to evaluate all the rookie defenders on Chicago’s roster. While it was just the first step of the Bears offseason program, and the entire team wasn’t even there, Allen at least got his first taste of what his next generation of defenders has to offer.

The defensive coordinator came away impressed with what he saw from Turner. He plans to let him develop at defensive tackle first before trying him out as edge rusher. Overall, Allen is confident that as Turner continues to refine his technique and develop in an NFL program, the defensive tackle will become a crucial part of the Bears’ defense, via Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns of The Athletic.

“I think we’ll have to put the saddle on him and break him a little bit but we’d rather have to pull the reins back rather than have to whip him to get him to go,” Allen said. “We’re excited about working with him.”

“The first thing we got to do is we got to play him in at defensive tackle and let him learn there, let him develop there, both as a three-technique and a nose, and then we’ll worry about trying to see that flexibility,” Allen said. “From a skill set standpoint, yeah, he’s got some flexibility. We’ll just have to see what he can learn, how quickly he can learn and adapt to what we’re doing.”

Shemar Turner becomes X-factor on Chicago Bears defensive line

Allen and the Bears seem intent on keeping Turner at defensive tackle, at least to start his career. However, Turner offers plenty of versatility, playing all five defensive line positions at Texas A&M. As he continues to develop in Chicago, perhaps Turner can become a Swiss Army knife on the defensive line.

But in his immediate future, Turner seems likely to backup Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter at defensive tackle. Jarrett is under contract for three seasons with an out after two. Fellow veteran defensive tackle Andrew Billings, whose injury derailed Chicago’s run defense, is a free agent after the 2025 season. Simply put, it’s easy to see a path where Dexter and Turner are the Bears’ starting defensive tackles of the future.

During his four years at Texas A&M, Turner racked up 115 tackles, 24 for a loss and 10 sacks. He had a break out season as a junior, putting up career-highs in sacks (six) and TFLs (11). Turner was named Second-team All-SEC.

When Ben Johnson arrived to Chicago, the coaching staff has meticulously chosen each player added to the roster. Clearly both he and Allen see something in Turner. He will need to bulk up and continue tweaking his technique to succeed at the NFL level. But having the rookie focus on defensive tackles mean there isn’t too much on his plate. Turner’s goal is solely improving at DT, rather than having to learn numerous different positions.

Chicago finished the 2024 season ranked 27th in total defense, and Turner won’t singlehandedly fix their issues. But he has a strong player to build around as Allen figures out the Bears’ best defensive line rotation.

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Dennis Allen is sure to make plenty of changes to the defense as he steps in as the Chicago Bears new defensive coordinator. However, cornerback Jaylon Johnson will remain one of his key building blocks.

While Johnson was named to his second straight Pro Bowl, the Bears as a whole ranked 27th in total defense, allowing 354.3 yards per game. Chicago attempted to rectify the issue by signing players such as Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. However, existing roster members such as Montez Sweat and Johnson must take a step forward as well.

While Ben Johnson’s offensive revival with the Bears has gotten all the headlines, Chicago needs serious defensive help as well. Johnson, the cornerback, revealed exactly what to expect from Allen and the team’s new-look defense in 2025, via Speak.

“As a unit we’re just going to fly around, make plays,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of plays out there that we didn’t make. This year we’re going to have a true opportunity to challenge guys, get up in guy’s faces and really limit offenses. You’re going to get some dogs running around making plays.”

As for his role on the defense, Johnson confirmed that he wants to follow opposing team’s No. 1 receiver weekly. The cornerback is ready for the challenge and ready to prove why he is one of the league’s best.

“I’m going to set the tone with pure coverage, dog mentality, getting us the opportunity to go in and lock up,” Johnson said. “That’s something I take extreme pride in, that’s what I work for. I know I’m going to show that, I’m going to put that on full display all year.”

Dennis Allen retools Chicago Bears defense

The Bears already had strong pieces on their roster prior to Allen’s arrival. Johnson and Kyler Gordon highlight a strong secondary while TJ Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds lead the linebacking unit. Sweat while muted in recent years is still a beast off the edge. Rather than how the offense underwent a true undertaking, Allen will be tasked with building up a defense that should have some ground to stand on.

For all their defensive struggles in 2024, forcing turnovers was one of the Bears’ few key strengths. They ranked seventh in the league with 24 takeaways. However, most of those turnovers were forced via the fumble, as the Bears made just seven interceptions, fourth-fewest in the league.

Chicago won’t care as long as their offense gets the ball back, but Johnson will certainly take notice. He saw his interception numbers drop from four to two in 2024. With Tyrique Stevenson across from him on the board, Gordon in the slot and Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker at safety, the Bears believe their secondary is on the rise in 2025.

After his failed stint as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, all eyes will be on Allen to see how he adapts to his new defensive role. Johnson has at least bought in, and believes in the defensive coordinator’s vision. Now it’s just up to the entire defense to prove the Bears have changed for the better in 2025 and beyond.

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The Chicago Bears exited the 2025 NFL Draft with three defensive players. All of them were handpicked by new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and will play a crucial role in shaping the Bears’ new-look defense.

First came defensive lineman Shemar Turner at No. 62. While he is listed as a defensive tackle, Turner played all over the line at Texas A&M. He should fill a similarly versatile role in Chicago. Last came cornerback Zah Frazier at pick No. 169. A late bloomer, Frazier led the American Athletic Conference with six interceptions in 2024. The Bears are hoping he further develops into a ballhawk in the NFL.

But sandwiched between them was linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, at No. 132. He was an NFL Draft unknown, as he wasn’t invited to the combine nor was he on many analyst’s big boards. Following the draft, Hyppolite’s selection has been the Bears pick to get the most flack.

However, Allen had a plan. He doesn’t need Mel Kiper Jr. to tell him who fits his defense. The defensive coordinator clearly likes what Hyppolite has to offer and thinks he will be a perfect fit in Chicago’s linebacker room, via team reporter Larry Mayer.

“It was a great ’30’ visit,” Allen said. “He’s mature, he’s self-aware about who he is as a football player. We went into the draft saying we have to try to increase our athleticism and speed, and he certainly does that at the linebacker position.”

“You spend some time with these guys and you kind of get a feel for what their personality is going to be like,” Allen said. “He’s got a serious personality and he’s kind of got a pro’s mentality already, and that’s a good starting point.”

What Dennis Allen saw in Ruben Hyppolite II

Looking purely at stats, Hyppolite looks like a shocking selection. Over his five years at Maryland, the linebacker racked up 236 tackles, six passes defended, three sacks and an interception. However, Allen saw a player on the rise with unteachable traits.

During his senior season, Hyppolite tied his career-best with 66 tackles and two passes defended while setting new career-highs in tackles for a loss with seven. Furthermore, his lone pick came in 2024. But truly what attracted Allen and the Bears to Hyppolite was his Pro Day.

The linebacker ran an unheard of 4.39 40-yard dash. Allen couldn’t resist having that type of speed at the position. As the Bears mold Hyppolite into an NFL linebacker, they at least know they’re starting off with an elite athlete.

Pro Day Highlights

ILB Ruben Hyppolite II @rubenknows1 @TerpsFootball pic.twitter.com/y6b47AbtzL

— Precision Sports (@PSportsMG) April 24, 2025

Allen went on to speak about the type of person Hyppolite is. While it’s a side of the draft the media doesn’t often seen, it plays a crucial role in franchise’s decisions. The linebacker having a “professional” approach throughout the entire process, accompanied by his meeting at Halas Hall, helped fully convince Allen that Hyppolite was the right fit.

Still, the linebacker will need to prove himself. Until Hyppolite can show the Bears and the NFL world at large what he can do, he will be lauded as a questionable draft pick. But if he is able to use his speed to play sideline-to-sideline and become a menace on defense, then Chicago will have found a diamond in the rough.

As he looks to make a difference on the Bears, Hyppolite at least knows he has a major supporter in Allen.

The post Chicago Bears’ Dennis Allen explains surprise defensive draft pick appeared first on ChiCitySports.

With Ben Johnson coming to the Chicago Bears, everyone has been focused on the team’s offense. However, if the Bears are going to truly be NFC North contenders in 2025, then the defense must show massive improvements as well.

To help fortify the unit, Chicago hired Dennis Allen as their new defensive coordinator. Formerly head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Allen has held a number of defensive coaching positions since joining the NFL in 2022. With Johnson entering his first year as an NFL head coach, he will be leaning on Allen heavily in helping build the Bears defensive foundation.

One thing Chicago’s defense will be preaching in 2025 is versatility. Players like Shemar Turner, Dayo Odeyingbo and Gervon Dexter Jr can theoretically play on the interior or exterior of the defensive line. General manager Ryan Poles didn’t give any exact percentages of how often the Bears will shift their line. However, Poles knows Allen will have a plan in place to ensure Chicago has some extra firepower coming from their defensive front, via Kap & J.Hood of ESPN1000.

“That versatility is going to be important,” Poles said. “DA is going to work through that, moving those guys around. Having that option open to us is always going to be important as we go through the season. That’s one I’ll lean on DA and [Jeremy Garnett] and Bill Johnson to put in place to move those guys around. I know it’s a part of what we’re going to do, I don’t know how much at this time. As we go through this offseason and training camp, that plan will start to show itself.”

Chicago Bears new-look defensive line 

While there have been plenty of changes made to the defense, Montez Sweat remains a constant. He is the unquestioned leader on Chicago’s defensive line, leading the team in sacks in 2024. However, that meant just 5.5 total. The Bears are hoping to truly unleash Sweat and have him revert to one of the best edge rushers in the league. Poles has already seen Sweat put in the work to match those lofty expectations.

“I don’t think there is anyone in this building working as hard as Montez Sweat right now,” Poles said. “He’s pushing weights, he’s getting strong, he’s getting in shape. He’s locked in like I’ve never seen him before.”

Poles went on to stress the importance of newcomers Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett, who were signed to $48 and $43 million contracts respectively. Odeyingbo is expected to line up across from Sweat as he is coming off back-to-back 17 quarterback hit campaigns with the Indianapolis Colts. Jarrett will shore up Chicago’s defense in the middle of the line. Collectively, Jarrett and Odeyingbo should make the lives of opposing offensive linemen harder, giving Sweat an easier path to the quarterback.

Then there’s Turner, the first defensive player the Bears selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. He is listed as defensive tackle, but he played all five defensive line positions at Texas A&M. Returner Gervon Dexter racked up five sacks from defensive tackle in 2024. Perhaps the Bears think that moving him to the outside would get him even more opportunities in the opponent’s backfield.

Overall, the Bears have options now. As the 2024 season went on, the defense looked lifeless at times. Allen is now expected to harness that newfound energy and unleash it onto the NFC North. If it all goes to plan, Chicago will have a much improved defensive unit. But versatility is one thing, actual results are another.

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The second day of the NFL draft is arguably just as important this year for the Chicago Bears, as the front office holds three selections on Friday. Round two will be vital for the franchise, as they own the 39th and 41st overall picks, which are the seventh and ninth choices of that round.

Where they look with the 72nd overall pick in the third round obviously depends heavily on who they snag in round two, but they need to keep their options open on the likely prospects that will on the board later on Friday night. Edge rusher, running back, safety and even offensive line should be on the table for Ryan Poles when looking at his lone third round selection.

Chicago Bears round three target: Jack Sawyer

For the time being, there are a good amount of edge rushing prospects that could be available for the Bears in the second round. Knowing the draft, things can change quickly. If Chicago isn’t completely solid on their options in the second round at edge, Jack Sawyer could be a guy they target at 72.

Sawyer spent all four of his years at the collegiate level representing the Ohio State Buckeyes. It was only fitting the the Columbus native got to play for his hometown team, and he built a legacy for himself as one of the more respected players in program history.

The 22-year-old posted nine sacks in his final season with the Buckeyes where he was a driving force of their National Championship squad. Sawyer being a proven winner and leader with one of the biggest programs in the country certainly earns him points as a day two prospect.

Sawyer is 20 pounds off being the ideal frame of an edge in Dennis Allen’s system, but the Bears would likely need to get over that if they are waiting until the third round to address the position. His brute strength and impressive bull rush technique on the outside is what makes him such an intriguing prospect and he would rotate in nicely to the Bears’ current edge rushing unit.

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The Chicago Bears front office went out and added a new pass catcher to first-year head coach Ben Johnson’s offense on Thursday night. Colston Loveland from Michigan is the newest Bear and the tight end was the first from his position to be taken in the opening round of the draft. The former Wolverine has already received comparisons to Detroit’s Sam LaPorta after being selected, which bodes well for Bears fans.

The second day of the draft is extremely crucial for Chicago’s front office. For the time being, they hold three picks on day two and two of them are in the second round. There are still a few key positions that need reinforcements, and the general manager Ryan Poles is lucky that quite a few first round talents fell out of the top 32 selections. Chicago could take their two second round choices in a few different directions on both sides of the ball.

Chicago Bears round two target: Kaleb Johnson

Kaleb Johnson has been a favorite of Chicago fans as a potential second round pick to add to the team’s backfield for a while now. He dominated the Big Ten this past season and has spent the past three years as an Iowa Hawkeye. Johnson finished the 2024 campaign with 240 carries for 1,537 yards on the ground to go with his 21 touchdowns.

The Bears were unable to make the moves necessary to trade up on Thursday to acquire Ashton Jeanty, so they will have to result to adding backfield depth in day two. Johnson would pair well with veteran D’Andre Swift, as their different rushing styles would create a fun one-two punch next to Caleb Williams.

Two important traits of Johnson’s game that stand out are his explosiveness once he gets to the second level and his ability to set up crucial blocks. Despite being more of a power back, it’s still good that Johnson can accelerate and kick it into another gear once getting beyond the line of scrimmage. The blocking aspect of his game would fit the Chicago Bears perfectly, as Swift doesn’t bring that to the table consistently.

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The 2025 NFL Draft is now just one week away, as rumors and mock drafts continue to vary on who the Chicago Bears could select with the tenth overall selection next Thursday night. The Bears are in a unique position as the team is not tied to taking a specific position of need and can take the best player available regardless of position. With defensive end being one of those needs, the depth of talent at the edge rusher position, allows the team to focus elsewhere at ten, especially with the presence of Jack Sawyer who could solve the issue on night two of the draft.

Jack Sawyer may not be a flashy selection but has shown a consistency when it matters

Heading into this offseason, the second defensive end position across from Montez Sweat was an obvious need that many fans and analysts believed that general manager Ryan Poles would address in free agency or the draft. The team did little in free agency to address the edge position, as they signed free agent Dayo Odeyingbo, who has recorded 16.5 sacks over the past four years with the Indianapolis Colts. Although Odeyingbo is seen as more of a rotational piece, it is believed that the Bears will select a defensive end with one of their four selections in the first three rounds of the Draft.

Leading up to the draft, the Bears have been linked to several of the top edge rusher prospects, including Abdul Carter, Mike Green, Nic Scourton, Mykel Williams, and Jack Sawyer. Other than Sawyer, the other defensive ends listed are expected to go in either the first round or by the halfway point of the second round. Depending on how the first round of the draft goes, Poles could look to target a player at the position with the second of the Bears’ two second-round picks or use the 72nd overall selection in the third round.

Although Sawyer may not be as flashy as the other defensive ends drawing interest, he still provides a lot of potential at the end position, as he was the arguably one of the most important defensive players on Ohio State’s 2024 National Championship team. Last season, the edge rusher recorded nine sacks and recorded 23 sacks total during his four years at Ohio State. Even more impressive for Jack Sawyer was his ability to demonstrate improvement year-over-year as he recorded more and more sacks every year.

What Sawyer might lack in athleticism, he makes up in determination and knowledge, as he continues to make plays with a high motor and has shown an ability to consistently get to the football whether in run or pass defense. As the competition improved so did Jack Sawyer’s production as he recorded four sacks and six pass break ups during Ohio State’s playoff run that spanned four games. The personality traits also lend to the defensive end working hard for however drafts him, as he could be an ideal fit for a prospect that new defensive end Dennis Allen could develop into a consistent pass-rushing threat.

Sawyer could also be someone that gives the Bears a change of how they have targeted defensive ends in the draft during Poles tenure. Chicago’s general manager has drafted two edge rushers in the mid rounds of the NFL Draft, who were seen as high potential selections because of their athleticism rather than their consistent production level. Jack Sawyer could be what Dominique Robinson or Austin Booker were expected to be, while also being able to take advantage of the added blocking attention focused on Sweat.

Jack Sawyer provides the Bears with a safety net option at defensive end during the 2025 NFL Draft

What Sawyer provides Chicago in the 2025 NFL Draf the most is a fallback option and flexibility if the team’s draft plan doesn’t stay in line. Knowing that there is a quality defensive end potentially available in the third round will allow for Ryan Poles to pivot to another top player at a different position, instead of feeling the need to reach and take the next best player at the end spot. Jack Sawyer is a good enough player to feel comfortable that if the Bears take him in the third round, he can still develop into a reliable defender.

If Mason Graham or Carter aren’t there at ten, but Ashton Jeanty and Tyler Warren are there, Poles would be hard press not to take the best prospect at a skill-position because the team feels a need to add a defensive end. Jack Sawyer enables the Bears to address other needs in the first and second rounds, knowing that it would be considered a reach if he were to be selected before the third round. Sawyer is apart a deep group of defensive end prospects, where the quality of depth may not run as deep at other positions of need for Chicago.

Imagine a scenario where the Bears are able to walk away with drafting Warren with the tenth selection, a running back and an offensive lineman in the second round, along with Sawyer in the third. Those four selections would address Chicago’s most significant roster needs, all before the team begins to draft for depth in the mid and late rounds on the Saturday of the draft. If Chicago can get a better defensive end in the first round, if other talents are off the board, take the player, but there is flexibility due to depth on night two of the draft.

There Bears will have options for their first four selections of the 2025 NFL Draft, but one pick will have to be used on a defensive end. Sawyer gives Chicago a chance to address other positions first as he could be an edge rusher that could be perfect for Allen’s 4-3 defensive front. The key to the NFL Draft is executing a plan to the best of its ability and being able to adjust the second the plan is knocked off course, Jack Sawyer allows for a safety net if the edge rusher plan changes earlier on.

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As we head into the dry parts of the NFL offseason, many could say the Chicago Bears have had yet another successful free agency period. While being dubbed the “offseason champs” isn’t necessarily important in the grand scheme of things, it’s a solid sign for Bears fans, as most feel optimistic heading into the 2025 season.

With the NFL draft right around the corner, Bears GM Ryan Poles will look to continue adding talent to this young roster, in hopes of making a playoff push. Chicago will select 10th overall a week from today and will likely add a playmaker or offensive lineman to the mix.

Another key storyline heading into this season was cornerback Kyler Gordon’s contract, which was set to expire after this season. The Bears didn’t want to lose the former Washington Husky, as they signed him to a three-year extension with $40 million in new money and $31.256 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid slot-corner in the NFL.

Gordon was the first draft pick that Poles made as the Bears’ GM, who selected him No. 39 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He hasn’t looked back since, becoming one of Chicago’s best defensive pieces since he entered the league.

Chicago Bears DC Dennis Allen will ask Kyler Gordon to learn a new position during training camp

Gordon played in 15 games during the 2024 season, finishing with career highs in tackles (75) and fumble recoveries (three), while also recording five passes defensed and a forced fumble. He didn’t record an interception for the first time in his young three-year career, but has proven to be a ball hawk in the past.

With a brand new regime coming into Halas Hall this fall, Gordon is being asked to potentially learn a new position by his new defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen. This will be Kyler’s third defensive coordinator during his short stint here in the NFL, something I doubt many could relate to.

Patrick Finley, who is covering the Bears for the Chicago Sun-Times, posted on X today that Allen will likely ask Gordon to play some safety, as well as outside corner.

New #Bears DC Dennis Allen said they'll ask newly signed slot CB Kyler Gordon to cross train a bit either at outside CB or safety, just in case.

— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) April 17, 2025

Gordon could be a great fit for the safety position, given that he’s a great tackler and provides enough speed on the back end to cover downfield passing plays. With safety being an underrated need for the Bears, Allen likely sees a good fit here with Gordon, who is fresh off his contract extension.

What does this mean for the Chicago Bears as they target potential cornerbacks in the 2025 NFL draft?

If Gordon could easily transition to safety, the thought of the Chicago Bears targeting a top-tier corner in the draft certainly comes to mind. Former Michigan Wolverine Will Johnson will likely be the first cornerback off the board, and some draft analysts have even projected the Bears to take him before this report came out.

Johnson is a solid prospect at the outside corner position, but is still pretty raw in many facets. The risk of taking him inside the top ten is high, if you ask most scouts around the league. His speed was a question before the pre-draft process, and after he refused to run the 40-yard dash during his pro day, those concerns became more legitimate.

Luckily, the Bears’ defense is already good, so this move may be more of an experiment. More pressure will fall on the offense, specifically second-year QB Caleb Williams, as he navigates with more brutal comments from the media.

With that being said, you hate to take a guy like Gordon and move him around, especially when he masters the nickel position so well. But Allen likely sees the benefit here, given the uncertainty of guys like Tyrique Stevenson and Kevin Byard as we get closer to camp. Gordon could become an even more versatile piece for this already solid defense.

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The Chicago Bears are banking on a new era dawning on defense in 2025, under first-year defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

Allen was one of the first hires made by new head coach Ben Johnson this winter, and general manager Ryan Poles has a clear blueprint for the kind of defense the Bears expect to play this fall.

“He wants a very aggressive, attacking defense,” Poles told reporters, of Allen’s blueprint, during the NFL Annual Meeting. “Especially the defensive line attacking the man in front of you, not so much playing laterally two-gapping or even penetrating in gaps.”

Poles and Allen’s plans for how the Bears’ scheme is going to take shape goes a long way to explain why Chicago so aggressively targeted the likes of defensive lineman Grady Jarrett and edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo, in hopes of dominating up front, similarly to how the Philadelphia Eagles rode a dominant pass rush to winning the Super Bowl.

“It’s really just attacking the offensive lineman in front of you,” Poles explained. “And creating disruption in the run game and also to bubble back into the quarterback’s feet to make it uncomfortable for the quarterback, too.

“So that mentality is definitely going to be there. That’s something that will get done and we have … done it in free agency as well.”

Chicago Bears lock up big defensive piece

The Chicago Bears made the first player ever chosen by Poles as general manager, cornerback Kyler Gordon, one of the highest-paid players at the position on Sunday evening.

Gordon and the Bears agreed to terms on a three-year contract worth $40 million, which includes $31.25 million fuly guaranteed, making him the highest-paid slot cornerback in the NFL.

“I mean, I love Chicago,” Gordon told reporters on March 12. “I love everything about it — the people, the history, the team, the community — so if this is where God tells me to be, this is where I will be, this is where I want to be.”

At age 25, Gordon posted a career-high 75 total tackles in 2024 and has intercepted five passes through his first three seasons since being chosen No. 39 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

It’s easy to see why Allen and Poles prioritized keeping a homegrown talent like Gordon in Chicago, after the six-foot and 200-pound slot corner added nine quarterback pressures last season, the second-most among cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

While Caleb Williams and the offense garner many of the headlines, the Bears’ rebuild on defense could go a long way towards determining Chicago’s ceiling, but the franchise has made it clear that Gordon is a cornerstone player moving forward.

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The Chicago Bears have plenty of scenarios to run through with the 10th pick in the first round of the draft in Green Bay in two weeks. The front office loaded up in the trenches through free agency and trades last month and they’ll have plenty of flexibility in the first two days in the draft because of that.

Ryan Poles brought in the three new offensive lineman needed to protect Caleb Williams ahead of his second NFL season. Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times as a rookie last season, but the hope is that the new personnel brought in will prevent that from happening this fall.

Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson were acquired a week before free agency opened up to take care of the guard vacancies on the Bears’ roster. As soon as free agency began, the front office finalized the line by signing center Drew Dalman to a three-year deal.

On the other side of the ball, new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen got some help on his line with the additions of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. Allen’s scheme thrives on getting pressure to the opposing quarterback early and often, so bringing in more pass rushing help was important to address.

The Chicago Bears can add more to their fantastic offseason so far with the 10th pick. While their top choice will likely be off the board by the time they are on the clock, they can get help in bolstering the stock of their selection from a marquee position.

Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart could help the Chicago Bears

While the Bears don’t need a new quarterback anytime soon, the stock of this class can impact the 10th pick big time. Cam Ward is currently the favorite to go number one overall to the Titans, but the rest of the quarterback crop is a mystery. Some mock drafts have only one quarterback going in the first round, where others have four being taken.

Sanders is viewed as a polarizing prospect in this draft. He could go in the top ten, or not in the first round at all. With the Giants signing veterans Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson, the odds of Sanders heading to New York is slim. The latest CBS mock draft has Sanders going at seven to the Jets, which is huge for the Bears.

The more demand these prospects are in the top ten, the more it effects Chicago. This means that the 10th pick will come at a higher price if nobody is on the Bears’ big board at that spot and they want to trade down. The other option would be the board shaking Chicago’s way because of more quarterbacks going before 10.

Dart is a talent who has picked up steam over the past few weeks, but CBS doesn’t have the Ole Miss Rebel in the first round. Their mock has Dart landing with the Browns at 33, but other analysts have also had him going as high as seven to the Jets.

Jalen Milroe is quietly making noise in draft circles

Milroe is without a doubt the quarterback prospect that is the most all over the place in this draft. It is highly unlikely that he ends up anywhere near the top ten, but his stock is worth monitoring over the next two weeks. It is rumored that the Steelers are a big fan of his game and they could pursue him with the 21st overall pick in the first round.

CBS has Milroe going 65th overall to the Giants, which is the first selection in the third round. The ceiling for Milroe could have an organization make the jump to take him in the first round like what the Broncos did last year for Bo Nix.

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Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker missed 12 straight games due to a concussion in a week 5 victory against the Carolina Panthers during the 2024 season. Head coach Ben Johnson has already confirmed that the Bears starter is medically cleared to begin Chicago’s 2025 offseason program.

Brisker is hoping to return to form and have a massive bounce-back season in 2025. One of the biggest keys to Brisker having a great fourth season is the new Bears defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen.

Dennis Allen was previously the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2022-2024 and also spent many years as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach for the Saints. His first stint was from 2008-2010, where the Saints’ secondary ranked third in the NFL in interceptions and also won a Super Bowl. His stint as defensive coordinator ran from 2015-2021, ranking in the top half of the NFL in many defensive categories.

Allen is an incredible defensive mind and should be able to bring the best out of his defensive players, including Brisker.

In a new interview with Kyle Odegard, Brisker revealed that he was nearly drafted to Allen’s former team in 2022.

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen loved Jaquan Brisker in 2022

The Bears starter confirmed that Allen wanted the Saints to draft him with the 49th pick and that he previously met with Allen at the scouting combine.

“When we were in the draft, Dennis Allen and I met at the combine and they told me at 49 they were going to take me. They were going to pick me and I was like one pick away. So there was that connection always there.”

The Bears ended up taking Brisker just one pick before the Saints, Brisker was drafted to Chicago with the 48th pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Allen seems to have been a big fan of the Bears’ starting safety and should be able to give him a prominent role in his defensive scheme. Brisker also discussed how he is finally able to connect to the Bears defensive coordinator and that he still remembers what Allen taught him at the 2022 combine.

“Yeah, we both kind of brought it up. He’s like, finally, we get to connect. And, you know, you get to coach me, I can play for you. So it was a great moment, because at the combine, I had a great interview with them, and I love Coach Allen. I still remember what he was trying to teach me at the Combine and said that to him, and he was laughing.”

Jaquan Brisker praises Dennis Allen’s defensive scheme

Another interesting tidbit from Brisker’s interview was the praise he had for Dennis Allen’s defensive scheme. He explained how Allen’s defenses are known to be “DB friendly”.

“And what I think about the scheme is it’s DB friendly. It looks like the defensive backs are going make a lot of plays and fly around. Sometimes he’s aggressive, sometimes he’s not. He’s changing it up. And then I just know he’s been top-five over a couple years. His defenses have been great.”

Allen’s defenses have been known for their secondaries being ball-hawks. It looks like that won’t change in Chicago. Brisker is a versatile player who has shown he can be a ball-hawk, but also is very agressive where he can get to the quarterback.

Brisker should be able to thrive in Chicago’s new defensive scheme. If the safety can stay healthy, he could be on the verge of an incredible comeback season.

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The 2025 draft at the end of the month is a huge opportunity for the Chicago Bears’ front office to attack any remaining holes in the roster. Free agency and the trade market for the Bears was mostly spent addressing the trenches. Two of the three open spots on the offensive line were taken care of a week before the free agency period officially opened up.

The team acquired guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney in deals with the Rams and Chiefs that set up the center position as the only one that needed to be addressed in free agency. Drew Dalman was the final piece of the puzzle on the offensive line when he signed a three-year deal to be the organization’s new center on the first day of free agency.

Two major names that were added to the defensive line were veterans Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. Jarrett has spent all 10 years of his career so far with the Falcons and will add to the line’s interior that might allow Gervon Dexter to grab some more reps on the edge. Odeyingbo will turn 26 in September and is seen as a high-ceiling edge rusher who could thrive in Dennis Allen’s scheme.

Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles likes the depth in this draft

When looking forward to the draft, general manager Ryan Poles is a big fan of the depth that comes with this crop of prospects. He knows that this draft could be huge for the Bears beyond the first round and has the capital to make a few splashes.

“The top blue (players), I think that’s condensed pretty small in (round) 1,” Poles said. And then there’s a wide range of really good starting level players that are going to range from probably single digits all the way to 50, 60, 70.”

Luckily for Poles, he holds three picks inside the top 41 selections and four inside the top 72. The Bears have selected a handful of immediate starters outside of the first round in Poles’ tenure, like Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker.

While this is the most complete roster Poles has entering a draft in his time as the Bears’ general manager, these picks are just as crucial. The team is entering a new era with Ben Johnson now at the helm as head coach, and there is more pressure than ever to put a winning team on the field as soon as possible.

There are a couple of ways Ryan Poles could approach the draft

Ashton Jeanty would be an obvious choice for the Bears at the 10th overall selection if he makes it there. The Heisman Trophy runner-up from Boise State would add a whole new element to Johnson’s offense and be a major complementary piece to veteran D’Andre Swift.

If Jeanty is not available, the options get deeper for Chicago’s front office. They could add another weapon for Caleb Williams in either a wide receiver or Penn State tight end, Tyler Warren. If management isn’t sold on Braxton Jones at left tackle beyond this year, they could take a guy to develop behind him this year. The last likely choice would be a trade down to gather an extra asset or two moving forward.

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Along with addressing the offensive line this offseason, bringing in and developing edge rushers is a top priority for the Chicago Bears entering 2025. Despite former head coach Matt Eberflus bringing a defensive scheme to the Windy City that had much success, it didn’t involve a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

The trade for Montez Sweat during the 2023 season gave Chicago fans hope that they’re struggling pass-rushing unit would shift, but not much has changed in the last year and a half. Sweat was a quality addition from the jump during the 2023 campaign, as he recorded six sacks in nine games. 2024 was a different story for the 28-year-old in his first full season with the franchise, as he collected just 5.5 sacks in 16 games.

It was believed that Sweat was playing through injury for most of last season. Adding that factor to the constant double teams that he faced made it understandable for his numbers to go down from 2023. Help was brought in via free agency for Sweat when Dayo Odinbingyo agreed to a three-year deal worth $16 million per season.

There is still a strong possibility that another young edge is taken in the draft later this month, but the Bears will need a second-year guy to take a step forward this year to make an impact for the team in a new defensive system.

New Chicago Bears staff excited to work with Austin Booker

After not seeing many snaps in his rookie season, the new coaching staff is excited to work with Austin Booker ahead of camp this summer. Adam Hoge posted on X regarding a comment made by new head coach Ben Johnson and how Dennis Allen has a plan to get Booker ready to go physically in his scheme.

“Ben Johnson said Dennis Allen would like Austin Booker to add some weight to help him set the edge,” Hoge posted on X. “Get to at least 250. He was listed at 245 last season. They’re excited about his skill set.”

Booker played in 17 games last season and finished the year with 1.5 sacks and 21 total tackles. He didn’t get many chances to rotate into games as frequently as some might have liked, but the vision is clear that the coaching staff sees his potential. Allen’s system relies on getting pressure on the quarterback more than anything, so it’s a good thing that he has plans to get Booker involved in 2025.

Austin Booker has the potential to be a difference maker

The front office traded back into the draft to snag Booker with a fifth-round pick last year. He spent time at Minnesota and Kansas in his collegiate career, with his 2023 year as a Jayhawk being the one that put him on the map.

Booker recorded eight sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss in his lone year on the field at Kansas and attracted front offices across the NFL as a sleeper prospect in the draft. Booker’s explosiveness off the edge gives plenty of reason for fans to be intrigued as to what he could become with a new coaching staff overseeing his development.

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The Matt Eberflus era with the Chicago Bears saw some flashes of greatness, but ultimately came crumbling down due to some insurmountable lows. When it comes to the defensive side of the ball, Dennis Allen will be charged with helping the Bears get on track.

Chicago ended their 2024 season ranked 27th in total defense, allowing 354.3 yards per game. While the Bears have added strong talent such as Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett, it’ll be up to Allen to ensure all the pieces fit.

Ultimately, the Bears and their fans are hoping to see the defense come back to life under Allen. He’s preparing to bring an entirely different defensive approach to Chicago, via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

“It’s fair to say Eberflus is a defensive coach who favors more standard fronts and foundational coverage principles,” Biggs wrote. “He uses late movement to disguise coverages with safeties, but overall, it’s about playing within the scheme and using proper technique.”

“Allen, the new Bears defensive coordinator, brings a little more complexity in terms of multiple fronts and different coverages with safeties,” Biggs continued. “He probably has a greater variety of pressure packages and favors more stunting up front in order to create open rush lanes.”

“Allen wants to play more man coverage in the secondary than Eberflus, who was sort of typecast as a Cover Two guy but mixed it up quite a bit. The Bears can play man with Jaylon Johnson, and if Tyrique Stevenson is dialed in, he can do that as well,” Biggs concluded. “They probably need a safety with better coverage traits to be really good in man, but nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon can certainly match receivers underneath. What you might see is a lot more two-man coverage, which allows defensive backs to be aggressive underneath with safety help over the top.”

Matt Eberflus’ defensive rise and fall

Eberflus was hired by the Bears when he was the Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator. Prior to that, he served in a number of defensive roles at the both the college and NFL level. And after he got fired, Eberflus landed on his feet as the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator.

His first year in Chicago was 2022. That season, the Bears ranked 29th in total defense, allowing 375.9 yards per game. But Eberflus was still building out his defense and figuring out what works in the Windy City. His plan was a success, as the Bears rose to 12th in overall defense, allowing 324.2 yards per game.

However, it all came crumbling down in 2024, as Chicago slumped back to 27th in the league, allowing 354.3 yards per game. Eberflus broke a longstanding Bears tradition, being fired in the middle of the season. He’ll look to rebound his image with the Cowboys, as the Bears regroup.

What Dennis Allen offers Chicago Bears

Allen was most recently head coach of the New Orleans Saints. And since he was fired from that job, some may be concerned about him coming to Chicago. However, Allen is still a well-respected defensive mind in the NFL.

He has served as the defensive coordinator of the Saints and Denver Broncos, while also spending time as head coach of the then Oakland Raiders. Allen has been in coaching since 1996 and made the jump to the NFL in 2002.

Allen was with the Saints at the same time Eberflus was with the Bears. They had a lot in common in 2024, as New Orleans bottomed by allowing 379.9 yards per game, ranking 30th in the league. But that was more of a symptom of the Saints as a franchise realizing they needed a fresh start.

In 2022, New Orleans ranked fifth in total defense, allowing 314.8 YPG. Eberflus did beat out Allen in 2023, as the Saints ranked 13th by allowing 327.2 YPG. However, it is clear that Allen understands how to concoct a winning defense.

And that’s exactly what he will be tasked to do in Chicago. While all eyes will be on Johnson and the offense, the Bears know their defense must take a step forward as well. Allen will be measured on Chicago’s overall growth and if he can dig the Bears out of their Eberflus-sized defensive hole.

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With NFL free agency nearly a week and a half old, the needs that the Chicago Bears will address in the 2025 NFL Draft next month have become apparent. Although Bears’ general manager Ryan Poles has made immense improvements across the offensive line, he has failed to address the team’s other glaring weakness which has been the defensive end position. Despite having new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and Pro Bowl edge rusher Montez Sweat, Poles has failed both with another top-tier defensive end, which is needed desperately.

Dennis Allen can fix a pass-rush issue that has plague the Bears for years

Through his 14-year career split as a defensive coordinator and head coach, Dennis Allen has relied heavily on pass rush pressure from his defensive line. During the last eight seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Allen’s defense has often featured not one, but two reliable and threatening defensive line pass-rushers. Whether it has been Cameron Jordan or Trey Hendrickson, the Saints defense was consistently good at creating pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Where Allen’s defense has thrived over the past eight years in New Orleans, the opposite has occurred in Chicago during Poles’ tenure as general manager. Despite the Bears’ Cover-2 defensive scheme being significantly reliant on pass rush pressure from the defensive line, the unit has struggled due to inconsistencies from the defensive end position. Sweat has been the only defensive lineman for Chicago to record six or more sacks in a season, and did so in only eight games back in 2023.

In New Orleans, Dennis Allen featured a defense that had two or more defensive ends record five or more sacks in five straight seasons from 2018 to 2023. Even more impressive was that in the past three seasons, at least one Saints’ defensive end generated seven or more sacks. Although Allen has Sweat as his best defensive edge rusher, the team needs someone opposite of him on the line to avoid opposing offensive lines from focusing all their attention on Chicago’s best pass rusher.

Last season, the Bears defense struggled immensely due in part to the lack of any consistent pass-rush from the defensive line. Sweat, although battling nagging injuries, was often double-teamed by opposing blockers resulting in him only having five and a half sacks. Allen’s defense last year in New Orleans featured at least three players with five and a half sacks or more.

It was expected that Poles would address the other end position by either signing a top-level free agent, such Josh Sweat or Khalil Mack, who has prior experience playing in Allen’s defensive scheme. Although Chicago signed former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to bolster the interior of the defensive line, the lone free agent signing for the defensive end position was of Dayo Odeyingbo, who only had three sacks last season with the Indianapolis Colts. If Allen is expected to get the most out of the defense, Poles needs to provide a young talent early on in the draft to ensure Sweat isn’t neutralized by opposing offensive lines in 2025.

Ryan Poles needs to give Dennis Allen a first round talent to work with

With Poles impressive and thorough rebuild of the offensive line this offseason, there still has been little attention paid to the defensive end position, but could change in the draft. The rebuilt offensive line gives the Bears the needed flexibility to take a defensive end talent with the tenth overall selection in next month’s draft to give Allen a much-needed pass-rush prospect. Dennis Allen has been regarded as one of the best defensive coaches when it comes to developing young pass-rushing draft talent.

Hendrickson is a key example of a defensive line prospect getting better year-by-year under the coaching tutelage of Dennis Allen. The 2024 NFL sack leader was drafted by the Saints in 2017 and saw his sack numbers steadily improve year over year, including a 13.5 sack season in 2020. Another example of a defensive lineman improving under Allen was defensive tackle Marcus Davenport, who was drafted in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft and saw his sack numbers climb over the first four years of his career.

It is in Poles’ best interest to potentially pursue one of the top defensive end prospects that will be available for Chicago at the 10th selection, especially if Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter falls due to his surgery concerns. Whether be Carter, Mike Green, or Mykel Williams, an elite-level edge rusher would be perfect for Allen to help develop and pair with Sweat. Having a first-round defensive end to work with Dennis Allen would also limit the risk of the Bears’ repeating the weakness of where no other defensive linemen were capitalizing on the blocking attention being paid to the team’s best pass-rusher.

Addressing the defensive end position early in the draft should be imperative to Poles if he wants Dennis Allen’s defense to be as good as soon as possible. Taking another mid-round pass-rusher like Dominique Robinson or Austin Booker, may provide depth at the position, but it won’t provide impact, especially for Allen who has made a career of developing game-changing talent. Chicago can’t afford another season where the defensive line, especially when it comes to generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks, fails to be consistent due to a lack of talent for Dennis Allen to work with.

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The Chicago Bears front office being extremely active in the offensive line trade market opens up more possibilities on the defensive side of the ball in free agency. Ryan Poles has swung trades in the last two days for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney to beef up the offensive front for Caleb Williams ahead of his second season in the league.

Getting to the quarterback is the name of the game for the Bears this offseason. Their back seven is pretty set moving forward, but adding a key pass rushing presence is all that matters now. New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will have his work cut out for him this year with the defense struggling to finish out the 2024 campaign strong.

Things were more fine tuned when Matt Eberflus was running the show for Chicago before he got fired in November. Eric Washington didn’t have as much success taking over the scheme and the Bears defense looked like shell of themselves in the final handful of games in the campaign.

With as much pass rushing help needed as possible, the Bears will look at all options in the free agent market next week. It wouldn’t be too shocking if they added multiple pass rushers this offseason, as a new rotational edge could be on the to-do list for the front office. They could look to a former New York Giant to fill that role.

Why Azeez Ojulari makes sense for the Chicago Bears

Azeez Ojulari was a second round pick of the Giants in 2021 out of Georgia. He made quite the impact in his rookie season as he logged eight sacks and had 49 total tackles in all 17 games that year. Ojulari is coming off a 2024 campaign where he only played in 11 games. He finished the year with six sacks and 28 total tackles, with two multi-sack games to his name against Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

Ojulari’s ability to disrupt plays and not be a total liability against the run are two reasons why the Bears need to give him a look on the open market. His market value right now according to Sportrac sits at $7.6 million per season for a two-year deal. Even though Chicago is paying a decent chunk of change for their new offensive linemen, a deal in this ballpark or a little less for Ojulari wouldn’t hinder their chances at landing any other big names in free agency.

Why the Chicago Bears should avoid Azeez Ojulari

Ojulari has only played a full season once in his career, which was his aforementioned 2021 rookie campaign. Along with his 11 games in 2024, he logged the same number in 2023 and played in just seven matchups in 2022. The best ability is availability and Ojulari’s medical history could be a huge red flag for Chicago. However, if his injury history allows for the Bears to grab him at a much cheaper price than his estimated $7.6 million than they should be interested.

If the Bears can work out a deal where Ojulari is a rotational edge, bringing him aboard would be a no-brainer. His injury history suggests that he can’t be counted on a weekly basis to be a dynamic guy opposite of Montez Sweat for 2025.

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A loaded free agent class of edge rushers both in terms of top-end talent and depth pieces gives the Chicago Bears plenty of options next week. The organization has just over $50 million in open cap space to work with the rest of the offseason after making trades for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to beef up their offensive line.

One more lineman upfront is still needed for Chicago, and it looks like it will be a center. That addition will likely come in free agency, but the two new linemen joining the fray before free agency opens up next week allows for the front office to shift their focus to the defensive side of the ball.

The defensive line as a whole will be taken into consideration this offseason, despite the interior appearing to be set for this season. Depth signings should be the play on the inside for general manager Ryan Poles, but he knows the edge rushing spot is a must-address spot. Chicago has struggled generating pressure over the past couple of seasons, even after they acquired Montez Sweat from Washington in 2023.

While defensive line will be the primary focus this offseason, a role now needs to be filled in the Bears back seven. Jack Sanborn’s contract was non-tendered by the franchise on Tuesday, leaving an opening in the linebacker room. While Chicago could very well bring Sanborn back, that’s not a guarantee in free agency. His replacement could come from another NFC squad who has experience in multiple schemes in the league.

Why the Chicago Bears should pursue Kyzir White

Kyzir White was a fourth round draft choice of the Chargers in 2018 out of West Virginia. He is one of the more experienced edge rushers on the open market this offseason, as he has already played for three teams in his career. White spent the last two seasons in Arizona and played in all 17 games for the Cardinals in 2024. He logged 137 total tackles this past year, the second most in a single season in his career.

Even though White doesn’t constantly rush the quarterback, he had 2.5 sacks last season. This was the most sacks he had in a single season in his career and that’s something that might standout to the Bears when looking at his free agent profile.

In White’s seven year career, he only missed time in two seasons. His durability is important to his free agent stock, along with his ability to play multiple positions. White was primarily a WILL linebacker in his NFL career before switching to the MIKE role in Arizona.

Sanborn played the SAM linebacker position in Chicago’s defense, which is a hybrid of the WILL and MIKE. This shows that White wouldn’t have an issue adjusting to Dennis Allen’s new aggressive 4-3 scheme that he plans to put in place. White is currently projected to make $5.8 million per season on a two-year deal according to Sportrac. With the Bears’ cap situation, they can easily swing this deal if they please.

Why Kyzir White might not make sense for the Chicago Bears

With a center and edge rusher still needed badly, a guy like White not be a top priority for the Bears. The new defensive staff could also already have a plan in place for a younger player like Noah Sewell to step into Sanborn’s shoes if he doesn’t get brought back.

The Bears still have solid draft capital this spring and a true linebacker with more tread on his tires in this class could be more appealing to them than a veteran of White’s stature. White having experience in the league is great, but him being 28-years-old might turn teams away. He would be a solid bridge linebacker if Chicago inked him, but other options could definitely be more intriguing for the front office.

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The trenches are without a doubt the area where the Chicago Bears need to look the most in the coming weeks, especially when looking for guys to get to the quarterback. Bringing in a new edge rusher will be at the top of Ryan Poles’ to-do list, but adding on the inside of the defensive line hasn’t been talked about much.

When looking at the upcoming free agent class on the defensive line, there is no doubt that the edge rushers are far superior compared to the interior linemen on the board. While Chicago should definitely be prioritizing help on the outside, any interior option on the market that offers pass rushing upside should be taken into full consideration as well.

If the Bears front office wants to look at any interior lineman when free agency starts up on March 12, they might want to start with a pivotal member of the Eagles championship defensive unit from this past year.

Why the Chicago Bears need to go after Milton Williams

Williams is a pure game wrecker on the defensive line. In his final season with the Eagles, he had five regular season sacks and a forced fumble while staying on the inside all year long. While five sacks doesn’t seem like a ton, getting all of them on the interior is harder to come by than one would think.

The 25-year-old was a third round draft pick of the Eagles in 2021 out of Louisiana Tech. He has 11.5 career regular season sacks in four seasons while working in with a crowded Philadelphia defensive front. Williams had a monster game in the Super Bowl last month as he recorded two sacks and forced a fumble in the Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Chiefs.

Williams finished the 2024 season with a 70.1 overall PFF grade, ranking him 31st among all qualified defensive tackles in the league. He logged exactly 500 snaps on the year and had 40 quarterback pressures which put him in the top 20 at his position. Williams’ ability to disrupt a game plan both in the air and on the ground is clear as day. His numbers and tape back what he can bring to a team this offseason and Chicago should certainly keep him on their radar because of that.

Why Milton Williams might not work for the Chicago Bears

Because of Williams having the free agent profile that he does, he will not come cheap. Sportrac has his estimated average annual salary right now at $17.8 million per season for three years. With Chicago’s cap situation this offseason, this isn’t a number that will totally scare them off. However, they will be cautious with throwing that type of cash around with their plethora of needs this offseason.

If the front office felt more confident putting Williams on the edge, the price tag would be well worth the investment. If Williams remains on the inside, the Bears are better off paying a true edge rusher that money and attacking any defensive tackle needs they may have through the draft or with a cheaper add on the open market.

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The Chicago Bears front office has their work cut out for them in landing big name talent this offseason, but it will be important for them to upgrade the overall depth of the team as well. This edge rushing class in free agency has plenty of avenues that Chicago can explore to not only grab the other key guy to lineup opposite of Montez Sweat, but to potentially add a number three rotational edge as well.

New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will bring a different look schematically than what Bears fans have seen in the past. Allen’s 4-3 system relies on getting consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks early and often. The Bears have struggled mightily in the pressure department over the last two seasons, so a change there is necessary.

The only way Allen’s scheme will work is if Ryan Poles and his group go to work in free agency and the draft. By adding a new starting edge and depth behind them, things will be on the upswing for the Bears defensive outlook. When it comes to adding depth, a former Las Vegas Raider on the open market could fit the mold for 2025.

Why the Chicago Bears should try to sign Malcolm Koonce

Malcolm Koonce was a third round pick of the Raiders in the 2021 draft out of Buffalo. He only saw five games in his rookie season, but then logged 17 in each of his next two campaigns. Koonce missed all of 2024 with a knee injury that he sustained just a few days before the team’s season opener.

Koonce put himself on the map in 2023, posting his single season high in every statistical category. He had 43 total tackles, 32 solo tackles, eight sacks and three forced fumbles for a Las Vegas squad that struggled to stay afloat for most of the year.

Depending on Koonce’s market, he could either serve as a depth piece on a line or as a starter. If he has a tough time garnering interest in the open market, a short term prove-it type of contract with a team like Chicago would be a perfect fit. The Bears shouldn’t give Koonce starter money based on his injury from last year, but he will be fully healed from it by camp so that’s worth keeping in mind.

Why Malcolm Koonce might not make sense for the Chicago Bears

If Koonce’s asking price is anything close to what Sportrac is estimating, the Bears should avoid him at all costs. The current projection sits at a two-year contract worth $20 million annually, which is something Chicago wouldn’t come close to offering.

If the Bears want to spend near the $20 per season total at edge next week, they’d be better off pursuing guys like Khalil Mack or Josh Sweat. Even from a rotational standpoint, a free agent of Marcus Davenport’s caliber might be an easier get for Chicago.

Davenport played under Allen in New Orleans so he knows his system well, and taking a flier on him would be much cheaper than Koonce. Sportrac has Davenport’s estimated yearly salary at $2.2 million for a one-year deal at the moment, which would be perfect if the Bears can bring in a big name opposite of Sweat for the price that Koonce might be asking for.

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With Ben Johnson becoming the next Chicago Bears head coach, there has been plenty of buzz about the prolific offense he will bring to the team. However, Johnson also needs to address the issues on the defensive side of the ball.

To help him out, Johnson hired former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen as the next Bears defensive coordinator. Allen was the Saints defensive coordinator from 2025-2021 before being promoted to the head job. He has been a defensive coach since 2022.

His addition is sure to bring a long of changes on the defensive side of the ball for Chicago. Still, he and Johnson agree on their core beliefs. Whoever ends up being on the roster in Week 1, they must be ready to play complimentary football, Johnson said at his Tuesday press conference.

“Talking with DA has been very enlightening, because we share the same mindset when it comes to defensive football. We want to affect the passer. There’s a lot of different ways you can do that. Certainly, the pass rush up front is the primary thing you think of but also on the back end it’s challenging the receivers and disrupting the timing.

“When we look at guys that are available. Absolutely, we want to upgrade the pass rush and we also want on the back end to be able to come up and lock down receivers as well. So it’s that fine balance and marriage between the rush and the coverage we’re looking to augment.”

Coach Johnson is meeting with the media https://t.co/xVD9LjlHqu

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) February 25, 2025

What must Chicago Bears immediately fix 

Before the Bears go out and make any blockbuster trades or free agent signings, they must address what the true issue is. And to play the type of defense Johnson and Dennis Allen want, that means altering the first and last lines of defense.

Chicago finished the 2024 season ranked 27th in total defense, allowing 354.3 yards per game. Their run defense was abysmal, ranking 28th by allowing 136.3 yards per game. Whether it’s with Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter or with an outside addition, plugging up the middle would make Chicago much less leaky against the run.

But they still have to get to the quarterback. While his 5.5 sacks led the Bears in 2024, Montez Sweat will only be looking for more in 2025. With DeMarcus Walker now gone, the team will undoubtedly look to upgrade his running mate.

In the secondary, Jaylon Johnson has fully claimed the top cornerback spot for the foreseeable future. Still the Bears ranked 16th against the pass, allowing 217.9 yards per game. Chicago needs young players like Jaquan Brisker and Tyrique Stephenson to step up and stay on the field.

It certainly isn’t an easy path to success, but the issues on the Bears all well documented. Dennis Allen knows exactly what he needs to improve when practices begin.

Potential Bears additions to bolster defense 

If Johnson is serious about the Chicago Bears adding playmakers, there are plenty available in free agency. Or, the Bears can swing a major trade for a player like Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby. With $80 million in cap space, Chicago will have plenty of options as they look to fix their defense.

Players like Josh Sweat, Chase Young or Charles Omenihu would be monstrous additions off the edge. All three know how to get to the passer and would take some of the pressure off Montez Sweat. In the middle, players such as Sheldon Rankins or BJ Hill could be of interest.

Alongside Brisker, the Bears also have Kevin Byard at safety. But going on 32-years-old, Chicago might begin thinking about his replacement. Players like Justin Reid, Justin Simmons or Jevon Holland can potentially fill the role. And if they want to sign a cornerback, the top of the class includes players such as Carlton Davis, Charvarius Ward and DJ Reed.

Ben Johnson, Dennis Allen and the entire Chicago Bears have plenty to think about when it comes to defense. But in the end, the Bears will be defined by their ability to disrupt the quarterback up front and in the secondary.

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Up until Matt Eberflus was fired during the 2024 season, the Chicago Bears’ defense was by far the strongest unit on the team. Defense as a whole has been the anchor of Bears football for a majority of the organization’s lengthy history, so seeing the group take such a drastic step back after the coaching change in November spoke volumes.

The reason why the Bears stayed in games they realistically have any business being in during the Eberflus era was because of how often the defense showed up when it mattered the most. If you look back at the 2018 squad that tragically lost to the Eagles in the Wild Card round, they were held together by the best defense in the league.

While having an incredible defense is certainly never a bad thing, the NFL has gravitated to an offensive heavy league now more than ever. Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers have had dominant defenses over the past few seasons but their lack of offensive production prevents them from going anywhere in the playoffs.

Johnson knows how important all three phases of the game are going to be the Bears in his first season as head coach. There are some things that need to be cleaned up in each unit, but that’s for the front office to attack with full force this offseason.

Ben Johnson acknowledges the Chicago Bears need to be balanced

When Johnson spoke to the media at the combine on Tuesday, he reiterated that all three units would be extremely important entering 2025.

“We want playmakers all over the roster,” Johnson said. 

These seven words from Johnson aren’t earth-shattering by any means, but it’s important to note that he wants to make sure this team is as well-rounded as possible entering his first season leading the charge. Chicago has been known as a quarterback graveyard historically. They’re hoping to change that narrative with the Johnson and Caleb Williams duo on the offensive side of things moving forward.

Williams has two playmakers to work with on offense already in receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. While the Bears are going to add a third wideout to the fray before camp, the main focus for the front office with this offense will be binging in three new offensive lineman to protect Williams and improve the run game.

The current Chicago Bears defense could worry Ben Johnson

Johnson also mentioned in his presser that he wants defenders he struggles to scheme against on his team, but that’s not always an easy thing to achieve.

“But at the same time, we know complementary football wins in this league,” Johnson said. 

This wasn’t a direct shot toward the defense from Johnson by any means, but it isn’t the biggest boost of confidence either. The main thing missing from the defensive side of the ball that the front office cannot ignore for another offseason is in the pass rushing department.

Montez Sweat needs help getting to the quarterback and not having a strong edge rushing group will not fly in new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme. The long time New Orleans Saints coach prioritizes pressure up front and runs a 4-3 system.

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On Friday, the Chicago Bears announced the release of two players.

Tight end Gerald Everett wasn’t a surprise. Frankly, he was the most obvious cap cut the Bears had going into the offseason.

Everett was only brought into Chicago because he was familiar with Shane Waldron’s offense. Once Waldron was fired, the writing was on the wall for Everett after having a non-productive 2024.

The Chicago Bears made a surprise cap cut

However, the Bears’ announcement that DeMarcus Walker was being released was a surprise, especially given the lack of depth on the defensive line. The veteran gave the Bears flexibility in Matt Eberflus’ defense, as the edge rusher was moved to the interior part of the line in certain packages.

Cutting Everett and Walker saved the Bears $10.75 million, giving general manager Ryan Poles more cap to add talent in free agency. He now has more urgency to add defensive line help after cutting Walker, and that could be by design from new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

Is Dennis Allen pulling for an elite talent at DE in the offseason?

The Bears wouldn’t have let Walker leave unless new head coach Ben Johnson and Allen signed off. From his first press conference, Allen stressed the need for the Bears to add help on the defensive line to get to the passer in 2025.

“We’ll figure out what we need to do,” Allen said. “But I think Ben in his press conference made a great point, that this has become a quarterback-driven league. I mean that’s what this league is, so I think everything that we do is going to be based on how do we affect the quarterback, and you affect the quarterback through rush and coverage, and that’s the pinnacle of what team defense is all about.

“So we can be as great as we want to be covering everybody, but if we can’t rush the passer it’s not going to matter and vice versa. If we can get to the passer quickly but we can’t disrupt routes and be competitive on the line of scrimmage, then we’re going to give up completions, so I think those two things have to be able to work together.”

Josh Sweat or Myles Garrett to the Bears?

After cutting Walker, the Bears need to find a starter that can play opposite of Montez Sweat. Walker’s release assures the necessity that Poles adds a premier talent in free agency. Aaron Schatz of ESPN pointed out Chicago should sign Josh Sweat in addition to multiple draft picks.

Following Walker’s cut, the Bears need to think about adding a player like Sweat or trading for a defensive end like Myles Garrett. The Bears have added extra cap. They must add a sack artist in addition to landing an elite interior offensive lineman like Trey Smith.

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The Chicago Bears front office began to make their first decisions on who they plan to move off the roster to save some money against the cap on Friday with the announcement of Gerald Everett’s intended release. With the veteran tight end set to be off the team’s books for 2025, they are up to $74.5 million in open cap space with free agency beginning next month.

The Bears now have the fifth most cap space in the entire league and that’s only going to continue to grow. Another move has followed Everett’s contract being terminated, and it’s not an incredibly shocking one.

Chicago Bears intend to let DeMarcus Walker go

The report of Walker’s intended release comes less than an hour after the news on Everett. Walker spent two years in the Windy City and picked up 3.5 sacks in 17 games this past season. He finished with the same number of sacks in games played in 2023, which just wasn’t enough for an already weakened pass rush unit.

New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme relies heavily on getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks early and often. With Montez Sweat being the only consistent presence on the Bears’ defensive line in the last two years, things need to change this offseason.

Ryan Poles will be tasked with adding a dynamic pass rusher opposite of Sweat, and has plenty of resources to do so. Chicago will be saving $5.25 million by releasing Walker and a combined $10.75 million with the two cuts they announced on Friday.

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This offseason can be taken in multiple different directions for the Chicago Bears front office based on the needs of the current roster. The hiring of Ben Johnson marks the beginning of a new era in the Windy City and it’s one that fans are hoping will last a long time. Having an offensive guru in Chicago of Johnson’s caliber is something that the organization has never had before, so things could get exciting quickly.

Some key roster decisions need to be made by Ryan Poles and Ian Cunningham in free agency next month to set the stage for the draft in April. The big positions of emphasis for the Bears to address this offseason are in the trenches. The organization will need to bring in three new offensive linemen to pair with tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright.

Also on the offensive side of the ball, the third receiver in Johnson’s offense will have to be determined with a potential addition in the backfield coming too. Snagging a consistent edge rusher to pair with Montez Sweat is arguably the second most important thing the Bears need to do in the next two months. They haven’t gotten much pressure on the quarterback over the past two seasons and that will have to change in Dennis Allen’s scheme.

Two players from the 2024 squad have the ability to be franchise-tagged by the Bears front office this offseason. While they both were heavily involved in last season’s plan, it would be hard to imagine them staying around for 2025.

Keenan Allen is the only Chicago Bear eligible

Allen’s time with the Bears in 2024 was his lone season with the organization. Despite having some minor drop issues, he proved to be a reliable target for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to go to more often than not. Despite meeting the veteran status, Teven Jenkins will not be eligible due to time missed last year. He was a second-round draft pick of the franchise in 2021.

Originally a tackle, the Bears kicked Jenkins inside to play guard in order to establish consistency on the line. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin doesn’t believe that either veteran will be retained by the Bears after the team used their tag a year ago.

“The Bears used the franchise tag in 2024 as a placeholder on cornerback Jaylon Johnson to excute a long-term deal just two days later,” Cronin wrote. “Chicago’s top two pending free agents – receiver Keenan Allen and guard Teven Jenkins – wouldn’t qualify for the tag for a number of reasons. Allen will be 33 this season, and Jenkins missed 23 games over four seasons because of injury. It’s more likely the Bears let both players walk and find their replacements in free agency or the draft.”

Lucky for the Chicago Bears front office, they have all of the resources possible to get those replacements lined up. The team holds three draft picks inside the first two rounds and has nearly $70 million in available cap space to work with before cutting any players off the current roster.

The Chicago Bears can replace these two in the coming months

In free agency, the Chicago Bears could look at two Chiefs to replace Allen and Jenkins. Trey Smith is the most sought-after offensive lineman in the open market this offseason. He won’t come cheap, but he would be well worth the investment to shore up the interior line for a team that desperately needs help on the inside.

At the receiver position, Hollywood Brown perfectly fits the mold for this new-look Chicago Bears offense. Johnson likes quick and shifty weapons, and Brown is just that. He is coming off an injury-riddled 2024 season, so he would be a short-term cheap option that is well within the Bears’ price range.

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The Chicago Bears have made plenty of draft selections in the first two rounds over the last handful of seasons. This is soon to include the three picks they hold in the opening two rounds of the 2025 draft thanks to Ryan Poles’ work in the trade market. Chicago isn’t the only team that has held multiple picks to start drafts in recent memory, but any front office having these assets doesn’t automatically equate to success.

Regardless of whether an organization is in its rebuilding stages or contending for the Lombardi, the margin for error on early draft choices is becoming thinner by the year. For a team trying to build their roster back up, these picks are crucial to build a foundation moving forward. If a franchise is looking to make another deep playoff run, the pressure is on for them knowing that these prospects are cost-effective options to serve as immediate impact pieces.

The projected hit rate on first-round picks in today’s game hovers right around 50%, whereas second-round selections sit at a solid 33%. The numbers don’t lie in the fact that it’s not easy to nail a draft pick, even at the top. Chicago has done a fantastic job in the early going of drafts and a statistic shows how well things have panned out for their premier selections in recent years.

The Chicago Bears have the most first and second-round starters

The Bears have the most starters on their squad that they took in the first or second round of the draft compared to anyone else across the league.

pic.twitter.com/OvA8g72I4P

— Taylor Doll (@TayDoll1010xl) February 16, 2025

It certainly helps that the Bears have been rebuilding over the past few seasons, but the fact that this many of their top picks stuck as starters is still impressive for this front office. Chicago has key members on the offensive side of the ball that were taken early in their respective drafts.

Basing it off last year’s team, five offensive players were taken by Chicago in the first two rounds Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, Darnell Wright, and Teven Jenkins. Williams and Odunze will be entering their second seasons in the NFL and Cole Kmet was taken back in 2020 out of Notre Dame as the local kid from Arlington Heights.

The trenches are something that the front office needs to look at in this year’s draft, despite having two starters on this list. Wright went in the first round two years ago and Jenkins was a second-round choice in 2021. It is likely that Jenkins will be playing elsewhere in 2025, so his replacement could come early on in this spring’s draft.

This statistic covers both sides of the ball equally for the Chicago Bears

Just like on the offensive side of the ball, five starters that fit this metric were on the Bears’ defense in 2024. Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Jaquan Brisker, and Gervon Dexter Sr. are a huge reason why the defensive outlook for Chicago in 2025 is so bright.

Dennis Allen has a fantastic young core to work with in his first year as the Bears defensive coordinator and it has the opportunity to grow even more in April. Chicago has young guys that can make an impact right away and that’s not common in the NFL. This offseason is an important one through the draft and free agency for the front office to add to the core they have developing right now.

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The Chicago Bears have their options to weigh out in the edge rushing market this offseason when looking to address one of the biggest needs on their roster. As a unit, the defensive line has not had much success getting to the quarterback over the last couple of seasons.

The Bears have finished toward the bottom in pressure rate against opposing signal callers and with Dennis Allen running the show now, that will surely change. The new defensive coordinator runs a 4-3 scheme that emphasizes getting to the quarterback early and often. That type of play will not work with just Montez Sweat on the edge for the Bears.

Another pass rusher has been a major need for quite some time in Chicago, and the hope is that fans finally get their wish this offseason. Whether through free agency, the draft or on the trade market, there are plenty of options for the Bears to pursue over the course of the next two months. The organization might even have a bigger chance at landing the biggest fish in the pond than originally anticipated.

Chicago Bears named top fit for Myles Garrett

Myles Garrett officially requested a trade out of Cleveland on February 3 and has rightfully garnered plenty of interest across the league since doing so. Bill Barnwell of ESPN believes that if the Bears front office really wants to go after Garrett, they should because they have the means to do so.

“With an extra second-round pick still coming from the 2023 trade with the (Carolina) Panthers, they have extra capital if they did decide to make an offer for Garrett,” Barnwell writes. “If they believe Johnson can help bring along cost-controlled talent on offense, focusing their spending on the defense would make sense.”

Garrett played in all 17 games for Cleveland this past season and finished the year with 14 sacks. The former Texas A&M Aggie was the number one overall pick in the 2017 draft and has had quite the career thus far. Garrett is a six-time Pro Bowler, four-time AP All-Pro and was the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year.

If the Bears were to swing a trade for the premier edge rusher, it would be the biggest deal they’ll have made since acquiring Khalil Mack. Garrett would be a much bigger impact player for the franchise than Mack was, but the move itself would be a similar decision to when they brought in Mack to turn a good defensive into a great one.

Barnwell also cites the fact that Chicago’s flexible cap space gives them a huge advantage if they are serious about being involved in the Garrett sweepstakes.

“With $65 million in cap space, (Chicago) could afford to add Garrett and still have the ability to address their offensive line in free agency,” Barnwell wrote.

Offensive line remains the biggest priority for the Bears front office to address with their resources this offseason. They will need to bring in three new guys upfront to help protect Caleb Williams ahead of his second NFL season which is no easy task. If Chicago can manage their assets properly, there is no reason why they can’t be involved in the trade talks surrounding Garrett moving forward.

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The Chicago Bears have all of the right resources on their side entering free agency and the draft this offseason. Holding three picks in the first two rounds of the draft and nearly $70 million in cap space before cuts is huge for Ryan Poles to have for Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach.

There are a few different options on the Bears’ current roster that they could look to move on from to add to their cap before free agency gets underway in March. Among all of the veterans on the team, there is one starter who could be on the fence regarding his status for 2025.

The Chicago Bears should refrain from cutting Tremaine Edmunds

Edmunds finished his second season with Chicago having 110 total tackles while playing in all 17 games. He missed just two games in his time with the Bears and was the guy to fill the void of Roquan Smith after he was dealt to Baltimore at the 2022 trade deadline.

Biggs thinks that Edmunds should not have to worry about being shipped out of the Windy City based on what he brings to the table and what his new head coach had to say about him during his opening press conference.

“That (Edmund’s being cut) would be a bit of a surprise to me, especially after Ben Johnson praised the team’s linebackers — alluding to Edmunds and T.J. Edwards — at his introductory news conference,” Biggs wrote. “I don’t think Edmunds was as good in 2024 as he was in 2023, but you could say that about almost every player on the defense.”

There is no doubt that the defensive unit took a step back as a whole in 2024, mainly after Matt Eberflus was fired following the Detroit loss on Thanksgiving. Edmunds is due to bounce back in 2025 and Biggs brings up a good point that the amount of cap relief that Chicago would get back from cutting him might not be worth giving up what he can contribute.

“The Bears could save about $4.4 million against the cap if they released Edmunds, but it’s not like they need cap space right now,” Biggs says. “They have other players whose releases would clear more space. If they cut tight end Gerald Everett and defensive end DeMarcus Walker, they would add nearly $11 million in space.”

Having other veterans on the roster who are much easier to move will definitely make a decision on Edmunds not as difficult for the front office. Walker is a guy who will likely be a rotational edge rusher in 2025 if he were to stay on the team and Everett did not impress last year so they won’t be hard to replace through the draft and free agency in the coming months.

The Chicago Bears’ needs should keep them from dumping Edmunds

The Bears need three offensive linemen, a game-changing edge rusher, a new number three wide receiver, and potentially another running back this offseason. With those needs being more important than what the organization already has in the linebacking core, Biggs mentions that not having someone lined up to take Edmund’s spot would just add to the laundry list of things to address for the front office.

“They don’t have a replacement for Edmunds on the roster, and I don’t know that they would find an upgrade with the $4.4 million in savings. I think he’ll be on the team with the hope that a new scheme and an improved defensive line would better showcase his talents.”

Edmunds will fit the 4-3 scheme that Dennis Allen likes to run well and the Bears don’t have to worry about filling another important spot on the roster if they let him walk. The two-time Pro Bowler will continue to work with T.J. Edwards to anchor the second level of what could be a potent Bears defense in 2025.

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There are several pressing needs the Chicago Bears’ roster has with new head coach Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. One of the more glaring weaknesses is at the both the defensive end and tackle positions, as Chicago will need to add several players via free agency and the NFL Draft. One former Bears’ player that has prior experience with Allen that could solve a significant pass-rush need is edge rusher Khalil Mack.

Khalil Mack’s presence would solve many short-term issues for Chicago’s defensive line

Over the past three seasons under general manager Ryan Poles’ tenure, Chicago’s defensive line has consistently struggled with generating pass rush pressure against opposing quarterbacks. In the last three years, despite the Bears’ defensive scheme being reliant on pressure from the defensive line, failed to have any defensive lineman record seven or more sacks in one season. Mack, who has experience playing as a linebacker and defensive end depending on the defensive system, has averaged over ten sacks each of the last three seasons and is a free agent this offseason.

Although Khalil Mack will be 34 years old when the 2025 season starts, his presence and pass rush consistency is exactly what Chicago’s new defense will need under Allen. For the past two seasons, Poles has failed to add multiple proven pass rushers, leading to the team’s best defensive end to face multiple blockers and being unable to get to the opposing quarterback. Whether it was Yannick Ngakoue in 2023 or Montez Sweat last year, there was no second pass rushing threat on the defensive line to offer assistance.

The great aspect of pairing Mack with Sweat would be to give the Bears’ best pass rusher a legitimate threat on the other side of the line to help cause blocking confusion for opposing offenses. This past year, Chicago’s defense only totaled 40 sacks, with no one on the defensive line totaling more than five and a half sacks. Last season, Mack’s eight sacks with the Los Angeles Chargers would have been more than any Bears’ lineman has had in the past two years, outside of Sweat’s six in the second half of 2023.

Adding Mack would also avoid an unfortunate trend that has plagued defensive linemen drafted by Poles over the last three years. defensive ends such as Dominique Robinson and Austin Booker struggled significantly in their respective rookie seasons because they relied upon immediately and heavily to generate pressure, resulting in their development being skewed. Poles is likely to add a pass rushing defensive end with one of Chicago’s three top selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, and adding Mack would allow for the prospect to be given time to fully develop and be free of having to produce immediately.

Given where Chicago’s roster is at currently, along with Poles and Johnson’s desire to build the core of the team through the draft, signing Mack in free agency is the most sensible move from a resource standpoint. Chicago wouldn’t need to spend an immense amount of money or sign Mack to a long-term deal that exhausts salary cap space, nor would they have to potentially trade draft selections for an elite-level defensive end like Trey Hendrickson or Maxx Crosby. Khalil Mack would serve as the perfect stop-gap solution for the defense until Allen can develop the defensive linemen drafted by the Bears this season or last season.

Khalil Mack could help Dennis Allen’s new defensive scheme due to prior experience

With Allen’s new defensive scheme being similar to former Bears’ head coach Matt Eberflus’ defensive system, adding Mack as a pass rusher will matter significantly. Chicago’s new defensive coordinator has had a history of working with some of the league’s best and most consistent pass rushers including Hendrickson, Cameron Jordan, and Von Miller. Despite concerns about Khalil Mack’s age, there should be confidence and excitement that Allen can maximize most of the future Hall of Fame edge rusher’s remaining career.

Despite there being similarities with the defensive scheme, there will be differences with Allen’s new defensive system, and adding a veteran that has experience with the system would add tremendous value. Mack would be able to serve as an example of what is expected of a defensive end when it comes to roles and assignments, something that will be vital for the younger players. Additionally, having a player of Khalil Mack’s caliber when it comes to putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks would help to avoid the risk of blown assignments in the defensive secondary.

Pairing Sweat and Mack together would also be a key part to Allen executing his defensive scheme to its full potential, as he has relied on multiple linemen to generate consistent pressure during his time in New Orleans, Denver, and Oakland. From 2018 to 2023, New Orleans’ defense had two or more defensive linemen record six or more sacks. A combination of Khalil Mack and Montez Sweat playing under Allen would likely lead to similar results, and mark the first time since 2021 that two or more Bears’ players had six more sacks.

One vital feature of Chicago’s defense will be the unit’s ability to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and Khalil Mack would be the free agent most equipped to help. Khalil Mack’s best day are likely behind him and he will be remembered as one of the best defenders in Chicago history for his play with the team from 2018 to 2021. If the Bears were to bring him back in 2025, it would be a fitting ending to a hall of fame career, as his role would change from a premiere pass-rusher to more of a reliable contributor, something the defense desperately needs.

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The Chicago Bears defensive line will experience a few changes before the 2025 season starts. They couldn’t get any consistent pressure on the opposing quarterbacks that Chicago would face and other areas of the defense suffered because of that. Montez Sweat is the team’s primary pass rusher and has struggled due to the lack of help around him on the line. In 2024, Sweat recorded just 5.5 sacks on the season while constantly dealing with injuries and double teams.

New head coach Ben Johnson is putting the finishing touches on his first coaching staff in Chicago. The significant hires have been taken care of, with Declan Doyle being brought on as the offensive coordinator and Dennis Allen hired to handle the defense. Another addition was officially announced on Tuesday that will bring more experience to Allen’s defensive staff.

The Chicago Bears are expected to hire Jeremy Garrett

Garrett played at Ole Miss as a defensive tackle from 2004-2007. His experience playing in the SEC led him on a path to coaching at the next level and earned his opportunity with the Browns in 2020. Garrett’s best season as a player with the Rebels was his junior season in 2006 where he recorded 26 total tackles.

Jeremy Garrett will be a crucial part of the Chicago Bears staff

The Bears have a strong foundation with the defensive line entering 2025, but work will be done to make it a premier unit in the NFL. Allen’s scheme stresses aggressiveness and attacking when given the opportunity, meaning that a lot of pressure falls on the men up front. Chicago should be active in the free agent market at the edge rushing position this offseason, but they will do their fair share of work in the draft and in the trade block as well.

Myles Garrett requested a trade out of Cleveland on Monday and this hiring of Garrett as the defensive line coach could have some pull for the star. The two worked together while the new Bears staffer was with Cleveland and any bit of relationship that they have could get the former number one overall pick excited about the possibility of coming to the Windy City.

While Garrett might be a long shot to become a Bear, there are other available options that could interest Chicago. Josh Sweat from the Eagles will demand a decent-sized contract in the free-agent market, but the front office has enough cap space to make that work.

A couple of familiar faces for Allen that the Bears could take a look at are Chase Young and Marcus Davenport. Young spent this past year with Allen before he was fired in New Orleans and Davenport played the best seasons of his career as a Saint.

Regardless of who Chicago brings in to help the defensive line ahead of camp, it will be up to Garrett to lead the group back to a dominant state. If this unit can apply pressure at a high rate, it will make life much easier for the Bears’ secondary to make plays moving forward.

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The Chicago Bears will work endlessly this offseason to bring in edge rushing talent to bolster the team’s ability to get to the quarterback early and often in 2025.

New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen made it known that his scheme from his time with the Saints will be brought to the Windy City. Allen’s mindset is all about applying pressure and disrupting the quarterback.

Montez Sweat has been essentially all alone in his pass rushing efforts on the Bears defensive line since he was acquired from the Commanders during the 2023 season. He was held to just 5.5 sacks in a 2024 campaign where he was dealing with an ankle injury for most of the year.

Sweat drawing constant double teams from the jump throughout his tenure as a Bear has limited him from putting up the numbers that the front office brought him in to produce. Once he gets a proper running mate on the opposite side of him, things should change. Despite all of the free agency and draft talks to patch up the position, Chicago might want to pay attention to a big name that just requested a trade.

Myles Garrett would be the best player on the Chicago Bears

Reports came out Monday morning that Myles Garrett has officially requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns. Garrett was the number one overall pick in the 2017 draft and has had quite the career thus far. The 29-year-old is a six-time Pro Bowler, four-time AP All-Pro and was the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year.

Garrett played in all 17 games for Cleveland this past season and finished the year with 14 sacks. The former Texas A&M Aggie has had 10 or more sacks in every year of his career, with the exception of his rookie season, where he only played in 11 games. Garrett has recorded 102.5 sacks in his career and is a scary sight for any offensive lineman who stands in his way.

A trade for Garrett on Chicago’s end would signify the biggest acquisition the team will have made since picking up Khalil Mack ahead of the 2018 season. Garrett would be a much bigger splash if Ryan Poles can net him, but his impact would mirror what Mack brought to the table in terms of bringing dominance to a defensive line that lacked it in a big way.

The Chicago Bears timeline could fit Myles Garrett’s desires

The Bears look like they are ready to roll under new head coach Ben Johnson. Going all in on a guy like Garrett would prove that the franchise is looking to become a serious contender right away in this new era. Chicago could have the upper hand in negotiations with Cleveland if things got to that point. With the star requesting to be dealt, the Browns front office might not have much leverage in trade talks.

The Bears hold two second-round picks in this year’s draft as things stand right now. If not both, at least one would need to head to Cleveland in exchange for Garrett.

With Chicago’s cap space and draft capital, their ability to make a proposal for Garrett is very realistic. It will all come down to how much is Poles willing to give to take on the star’s massive contract.

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Detroit Lions fans are taking the break up with new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson badly.

Lions fans didn’t like their NFC North division rival poaching their offensive coordinator after the team made two playoff appearances in a row. They complained weirdly when Bears fans celebrated Johnson for winning the 2024 PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year award.

Ben Johnson was putting out feelers during the regular season

Now, they have a new reason to be angry at Johnson for taking a promotion to get away from Detroit.

New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen explained the timeline of Johnson connecting with the former New Orleans Saints head coach about becoming a defensive coordinator in 2025. The timing of Johnson’s interest was sketchy.

“I think at some point as we got later in the season he reached out to me to see if I would be interested,” Allen said. “I told him that I would be interested. I think it’s probably a product of just the same connections.”

Johnson was already starting to put out feelers for assistant coaches while the Lions were the No. 1 team in the NFC and were looking like a Super Bowl contender. Any distraction Johnson had in preparing for the hiring cycle didn’t begin during the wild card round.

That can’t make Lions fans feel good, because Allen was intrigued by the opportunity of going to Detroit’s rival.

The Chicago Bears were a preferred destination for Dennis Allen

Allen was impressed by the Bears’ secondary. He was especially impressed with cornerback Kyler Gordon.

“When Ben asked me if I would be interested, there were a couple of places that I felt like had the pieces in place to potentially be a really good football team, and Chicago was one of them,” Allen said. “So, I was excited when it came about that this was a job that he really wanted, and I was excited to come along with him…

“There are some things that we have in the secondary that I like. There are some pieces at linebacker that I’m encouraged by. There are a couple spots up front where we’ve got some players. So I think the foundation is there defensively.”

Johnson and Allen discussed the job market before the end of the season, and the idea of the Bears being a destination was long thought out before Johnson accepted an interview from Chicago.

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The Chicago Bears held an introductory press conference for their new coordinators on Thursday. New head coach Ben Johnson has brought in offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

Allen is a very well-respected coach in the NFL. He previously was the head coach for the Saints for the past three seasons and was the defensive coordinator for the Saints from 2015-2021. He also had an earlier stint with the Saints from 2006-2010 as a secondary coach.

Allen will be given command of a defense that does have plenty of talent, especially within the secondary. However, there are indeed some holes that need to be filled for this defense.

In his very first press conference as Chicago Bears defensive coordinator, Allen explained how his defense will be “an aggressive, attacking style defense.”  Allen seemed to give a major hint to the Bears front office for what area the defense needs help in, that would be the defensive line.

Dennis Allen is pleading for help on the defensive line

In order to have a very aggressive defense, the defensive line needs to find a way to get to the quarterback. Allen is known to have a blitz-heavy, 4-3 defensive scheme which would require much improvement on the defensive line.  Allen seemed to be pleading to the Chicago Bears front office that they are gonna need some more help on the defensive line.

From CHGO Bears via X:

“Dennis Allen reiterated Ben Johnson’s remark on the NFL being a QB-driven league, but shared his perspective as a DC:

“How do we affect the quarterback? We can be as great as we can be covering everybody, but it’s not going to matter if we can’t get to the quarterback.” ”

Allen explains that getting to the quarterback is gonna be the most important aspect of this defense. Applying pressure to the quarterback would lead to sacks, forced fumbles, and mistakes from the opposing quarterback. Even though the Bears secondary has a lot of talent, it will not matter as much if the defense cannot get pressure on the quarterback.

Pressuring the quarterback has been a major flaw of the Bears’ defense in the past few seasons. Montez Sweat is an incredible pass rusher but he needs more help. An edge rusher opposite him would be a great addition to the Bears starting defense.

The Bears must add an edge rusher in free agency or early in the draft

Many big-name edge rushers will be available in free agency starting in March and the Bears desperately need to add one to bolster this defense.

A fan favorite choice could be none other than Khalil Mack. Mack was a massive fan favorite during his time on the Bears and a force to be reckoned with. In his last two seasons with the Chargers, In 2023 he had 88 quarterback pressures. He also had an 86.3 pass-rushing grade from Pro Football Focus, his highest since 2020, when he was still with the Bears. Pro Football Focus ranks him as the top edge rusher free agent for the 2025 class. Bringing “The Mack Attack” back to the Chicago Bears would be absolutely awesome. A defensive line including, Mack, Montez Sweat, and Andrew Billings would be really fun to watch.

Chase Young could also be a cheaper option for the Bears, as he has ties to Dennis Allen. Young played for Allen during the 2024 season. Young had a total of 66 quarterback pressures and a pressure rate of 14.6 percent. When healthy, Chase Young is a very aggressive player with still a lot of upside. A potential reunion for Young and his former head coach could be very interesting.

Other potential edge rushers the Bears can go for include Marcus Davenport, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Hassan Reddick. They could also draft a pass rusher in the upcoming NFL draft. Regardless, an edge rusher is one of the biggest needs for this offseason. Improvement on the defensive line could no doubt turn Allen’s defense into a top defense in the NFL.

The post Chicago Bears’ new coach pleading for defensive line help appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears introduced new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to the media on Thursday. Allen joins the Bears from New Orleans, where he spent the last three seasons as the Saints head coach. The 52-year-old has been coaching in the NFL since 2002 and he is a well-respected defensive mind across the league.

The 2025 season for Allen will be the first in ten years where he isn’t with the Saints. Prior to serving as their head coach, he was their defensive coordinator from 2015-2021. The past ten years were Allen’s second stint in New Orleans, as he worked as assistant defensive line and secondary coach from 2006-2010.

Allen is tasked with taking over a defensive unit that was run by Matt Eberflus over the past two and a half seasons. Chicago was quite successful on the defensive side of the ball during the Eberflus era, but the lone issue with the unit was in their ability to get to the quarterback consistently. According to Allen, that should change with the Bears defensive rather quickly.

Dennis Allen made his defensive philosophy loud and clear

Allen is known for running a 4-3 defense that leans toward being relatively blitz heavy. His meeting with the media on Thursday confirmed that the same principles will be following him to Chicago.

“We want to be an aggressive, attacking style defense,” Allen said. 

Chicago has been great in coverage over the last few seasons, with Jaylon Johnson being a major reason for that. Johnson’s ability to dominate in one-on-one coverage forces opposing quarterbacks to look the other way before throwing the ball in his directions.

Kyler Gordon had a solid 2024 season along with Johnson at the cornerback spot, but the primary focus for improvement in that room entering 2025 is with Tyrique Stevenson. If the new defensive staff can get the former Miami Hurricane to lock in and drown out all of the outside noise, he could be a real force in his third season.

No matter how good Chicago’s secondary is, it won’t mean much if they can’t get pressure on the quarterback. Montez Sweat hasn’t had much assistance off the edge since being traded to Chicago in 2023, which is something the front office needs to address if they want to set Allen up with the best chance to succeed moving forward.

The Chicago Bears will need to add more defensively for Dennis Allen

Another Sweat might fill the bill for the Chicago Bears when they look to the free agent market for edge rushers in March. Josh Sweat from the Eagles will command a bigger pay day in free agency than other guys at his position, but his consistency could be exactly what the Bears are looking for. He has proven to get to the quarterback early and often and can play in the big games while still executing. Plenty of boxes will be checked off by the Bears front office if they bring him in this offseason.

There are a couple of free agents that are used to playing in Allen’s scheme during his lengthy stay with the Saints. Chase Young was with Allen this past year and is a cheaper option on the market who won’t require as long of a commitment. Marcus Davenport is another name that is being floated around as a potential connection to Chicago. The former UTSA Roadrunner has been banged up the last couple of seasons, and Chicago could easily take a flier on him for 2025.

The post New Chicago Bears coach explains his defensive philosophy appeared first on ChiCitySports.

When looking ahead to free agency in March, the edge rushing position is a huge need that the Chicago Bears will need to fill. Ever since the team acquired Montez Sweat from the Washington in 2023, there hasn’t been much help to go alongside him. The 28-year-old’s strongest counterpart in his year and a half with the Bears has been veteran DeMarcus Walker, who is a solid rotational edge at best.

Sweat dealing with nagging injuries and constant double teams in 2024 led to a dip in his overall production. This offseason presents the Bears front office with a chance to give Sweat the pass rushing assistance that he deserves to limit the attention he receives on a consistent basis.

Along with bringing in a strong starter next to Sweat, depth is equally important for this unit entering 2025. Depth was something that the edge rushing position didn’t have much of last year, which made Sweat’s ineffectiveness extremely obvious. A

A high upside guy on the market that has familiarity with the new personnel in Chicago is Marcus Davenport. Based on his recent injury history, the former first-round draft pick would come at a cheap price for the Bears if they choose to pursue him in free agency.

Marcus Davenport would fit in well with the Chicago Bears

Davenport spent time with new Bears’ defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in New Orleans before bouncing around the last two seasons. He spent 2023 with Minnesota and 2024 with Detroit, so he is very familiar with the NFC North. Unfortunately for Davenport, he has played just six games in the last two years.

Four of those came with the Vikings where he recorded two sacks and seven total tackles. His tenure in Detroit was cut short after he hit the IR with a tricep injury in September. As a Lion, Davenport collected 0.5 sack and two total tackles in two games.

Davenport thrived under Allen’s pass-rush heavy system in New Orleans that he will bring to Chicago. In 2021, the former UTSA Roadrunner collected nine sacks and 39 total tackles in just 11 games. Davenport finished his time in New Orleans with 21.5 sacks in five seasons, showing that he could work well in a defensive system that prioritized his ability to get to the quarterback.

The Chicago Bears need to keep their edge rushing options open

While Davenport would be a nice option for the Chicago Bears to go after in free agency, his injury history doesn’t make him the most reliable player to put all your eggs in one basket for. Chicago has already been linked to a couple of other veteran pass rushers that are set to hit the open market in March.

Josh Sweat would be a higher cost edge rusher for Chicago, but with the Bears open cap space that wouldn’t be too much of an issue. The current Eagle has 25.5 sacks over his last three seasons and has been an under-the-radar find for their front office.

Chase Young would play well off a signing like Davenport, as he too is familiar with Allen’s defensive scheme from his time with the Saints this year. Young has had his injury issues in the past like Davenport, so bringing him aboard would be a strength in numbers situation. As long as one of them were to consistently stay healthy, it would be a significant upgrade for the Bears pass rushing unit compared to years past.

The post Dennis Allen hiring could lead Chicago Bears to new free agent target appeared first on ChiCitySports.

New head coach Ben Johnson has been making changes to the Chicago Bears coaching staff since he was officially hired by the team last Tuesday. The former Lions offensive guru has brought on his two coordinators as both were announced by the franchise on Monday.

Declan Doyle will serve as the Bears offensive coordinator and former Saints head coach Dennis Allen will be the defensive mastermind in Chicago. One coordinator that Johnson retained on the Bears staff is Richard Hightower. The 44-year-old has served as Chicago’s special teams coordinator since 2022 and will be around for his fourth season with the organization.

One big decision for Johnson’s first staff that hasn’t been made yet is who will oversee the offensive line. This unit for the Bears’ was arguably the worst in football last season, as rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times. This was by far the most sacks taken by a quarterback in the league last season, and that needs to change entering 2025.

With Chris Morgan being let go from his duties as the offensive line coach, it opens the door for someone else to take over this struggling unit. One direction that the Bears front office could look to fill this vacancy is at the collegiate level, where one coach has already gained their interest in Joe Rudolph, the current offensive line coach at Notre Dame.

Joe Rudolph would bring quite the background to the Chicago Bears

Ruldolph has spent his entire coaching career at the college level. He began as a GA at Ohio State from 2004-2006 before heading to Nebraska for the 2007 season to be their tight ends coach. Rudolph remained in the Big 10 from 2008-2011 as the tight ends coach for his alma mater, Wisconsin before leaving the conference in 2012.

Rudolph spent the 2012-2014 years at Pittsburgh as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. The Charleroi, PA native got the chance to act as Pitt’s interim head coach during the 2014 season after Paul Chryst resigned from the role.

After his tenure at Pitt came to a close, Rudolph returned to Wisconsin from 2015-2021. In his second stint with the Badgers, he worked in various roles such as the offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and assistant head coach.

Rudolph was with Virginia Tech in 2022 working with their offensive line before joining Notre Dame where he has been the last two seasons. There is no doubt that Rudolph has positioned himself for an NFL job based on his 20 year track record at the college level. He has coached numerous draft picks and an offensive line that made the National Championship game this past year.

Joe Rudolph would be a big part in rebuilding the Chicago Bears line

The Bears will be completely retooling their offensive line this offseason. With the exception of Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones, the rest of the line will look brand new come training camp. The front office will look to the draft and free agency when bringing in new faces to protect Williams ahead of his second NFL season.

In free agency, names like Trey Smith and Drew Dalman should be at the top of the Bears list. They have the cap space to bring in both individuals if they are so lucky to meet with both of them when free agency opens up. In the draft, tackles like Will Campbell of LSU and Kelvin Banks Jr. of Texas could be near the top of Ryan Poles’ draft board.

No matter which direction Chicago goes in fixing up their offensive line, it’s nothing that Rudolph can’t handle. His coaching experience should carry nicely in the NFL if given a chance by the Bears and he would certainly be a nice change of pace compared to what’s been on staff with the organization over the past few seasons.

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This offseason is another big time in the Chicago Bears rebuild. With a new head coach on the scene in Ben Johnson, important changes and additions need to be made to the team in hopes of a more successful 2025 season. The offensive minded head coach already let go of a few staff members and has his group ready to go with free agency less than two months away.

As of right now, the Chicago Bears have around $64 million in cap space entering the offseason. This gives them some flexibility to attack their needs prior to the 2025 season head on. The way things look with the current layout of the roster, the trenches will need to be addressed in a big way.

Fans should expect three new offensive linemen to join the team along with an edge rusher to play alongside Montez Sweat that can hopefully make a difference in getting to the quarterback. There are a couple of factors that could raise the Bears’ cap space number, one that they can control themselves and the other comes with some help from the league.

The NFL cap is projected to go up, which benefits the Chicago Bears

It was revealed on The Pat McAfee Show that the NFL’s salary cap could increase to $275 million this season. If that is truly the case, Chicago’s available cap would increase from $64 million to $67 million without having to do anything with their roster as it stands.

While $3 million doesn’t seem like much on the surface, it can go a long way for the Bears when pursuing multiple free agents at higher price tags. On the offensive line, a guy like Trey Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs would be a massive get if he hits the open market.

Smith is one of the more well-respected guards in the NFL and he won’t come cheap. Because of this, any more funds that the Chicago Bears can collect for their cap space would only strengthen their efforts to sign a player of Smith’s caliber.

On the defensive side of the ball, two free agents pass rushers that have been linked to the Bears are Josh Sweat and Chase Young. Sweat would cost Chicago more against the cap than Young would, so that’s something to keep in mind when looking at him as a free agent target.

Young could be a better fit for the Chicago Bears financially and scheme wise after Dennis Allen was named the team’s defensive coordinator. Allen and Young worked together in New Orleans during the defensive guru’s head coaching stint with the Saints.

Ryan Poles can make a few cuts to help the cause even more

The Bears could easily create more cap space by cutting a couple of players before June 1. The first likely candidate to leave Chicago is tight end Gerald Everett. The veteran did not add much to Chicago’s offense this season after signing a two-year contract in March of 2024. Everett would save the Bears nearly $5 million if he is cut, which would bring that $67 million to over $70 million for the front office to work with.

Ryan Bates is another viable option for the Bears to let go. The veteran offensive lineman was acquired in a trade from Buffalo last offseason and struggled to stay on the field in 2024. Bates would save Chicago $4 million by being released.

The post The Chicago Bears will have more cap space than originally anticipated this offseason appeared first on ChiCitySports.

New Bears’ head coach Ben Johnson’s coaching staff is coming together a week after his hiring last Monday. This past weekend, Johnson made his most important defensive hire, hiring veteran coordinator Dennis Allen as Chicago’s new defensive coordinator. Although Allen was fired midseason last year as Saints’ head coach, he is regarded as one of the best defensive play-callers in the NFL, with his ability to get consistent pass-rush from his defensive line a proven asset.

Dennis Allen has a proven history of generating consistent pass-rush from his defensive line

The hiring of Dennis Allen as the Bears’ new defensive coordinator is vital in many different ways, but the most significant is the fact that the defensive scheme and personnel will remain the same. Allen deploys a 4-3 defensive scheme with many basics of a Cover-2 defense being used in the play-calling, which is what former Bears’ head coach Matt Eberflus utilized over the past three years. Staying with a 4-3 defensive base, saves Chicago and general manager Ryan Poles from having to dedicate more time and resources to change the defensive personnel completely had they hired a coordinator who would have chosen to deploy a 3-4 scheme.

Although the core themes of the personnel and defensive scheme will remain the same for Allen, he must succeed where Ebeflus continually struggled during his tenure with the Bears, which was consistent and reliable pass-rush pressure for the defensive line. During the last three seasons, Chicago only had one defensive lineman record more than six sacks during that time, which was Montez Sweat who generated six sacks in eight games in 2023. Additionally, The Bears defense only had two defensive linemen generate more than five sacks in the same season only once in the past three years.

The defensive line pass-rush inconsistencies are even more significant when it comes to how important generating pressure is to the Cover-2 scheme. The defensive scheme relies immensely on the defensive line to pressure and hurry the opposing quarterback to allow the back seven defenders to drop back in pass defense, resulting in an increased opportunity for an interception. Dennis Allen’s defense has been one of the most consistent and reliable units when it comes to creating pass-rush pressure on a constant basis.

During Allen’s last three seasons as the Saints’ head coach, his defense featured one defensive lineman who recorded seven or more sacks. Even more impressive was that Allen’s defense featured a different lineman each year who would eclipse the seven sacks mark, even with perennial Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Jordan.  The former New Orleans’ head coach had a keen eye for talent as his defense has featured several different Pro Bowl talents, including Chase Young, Trey Hendrickson, Marcus Davenport, and Jordan.

Allen’s consistent defensive line pass-rush pressure is truly impressive, as during his time as a defensive play-caller for the Saints, the defense featured two or more linemen with six sacks or more from 2018 to 2023. Additionally, during Dennis Allen’s time as defensive coordinator before taking over for Sean Payton as head coach, the Saints made the playoffs four straight years from 2017 to 2020. Although the defensive play-caller didn’t have much success as a head coach, his defensive success has been proven through his decade of experience as a defensive coach.

Dennis Allen will need to identify talent that will allow for a reliable pass-rush from the defensive line

The most significant task Allen will be task with this offseason before the start of the 2025 NFL season will be able to identify defensive line talent and coach that talent to success. Although the defensive coordinator will have a Pro Bowl talent in Sweat, the goal will be to either get young defensive linemen already on the team to perform better or find talent via the draft and free agency that will generate pass-rush pressure. Given Dennis Allen’s resume, there should be significant excitement to see who the coordinator will identify as a talent that can attack the opposing quarterback.

If Allen is able to identify the defensive line talent needed to generate pass-rush pressure, it could lead to an immediate turnaround for Chicago in 2025. In 2024, there were too many instances where the Bears lost games due to a failure to stop opposing offenses by generating sacks, including the loss to the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings in Week 12. With the likely improvement on offense with Johnson’s elite-level play-calling capabilities, it will be on Dennis Allen to ensure that Chicago’s defense can ensure victories by protecting any leads given by the offense.

Having an improved and sustained pass-rush will also lead to more interceptions and turnovers, given the offense more opportunities to score points. Allen’s defense has also had history of being able to generate takeaways, something that made the Saints competitive during his coaching tenure, despite having issues offense. Success will be noted, not if Dennis Allen is able to have just one defensive lineman with a massive sack total, but multiple linemen with sacks totals ranging from five to eight.

Johnson’s ability to land Dennis Allen as Chicago’s new defensive coordinator could end up being his most significant coaching hire of his Bears’ tenure if it leads to playoff or Super Bowl success. Allen, whether it was during his time in Denver or New Orleans, has had a proven resume of having reliable defenses featuring multiple pass-rushers. It is that pass-rush consistency that the Bears’ defense is in need of after several years of having inconsistencies when it comes to the defensive line.

The post Dennis Allen’s best feature is his defensive line pass-rushing pressure appeared first on ChiCitySports.

On Monday, the Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson away from the Detroit Lions to be Matt Eberflus’ replacement as head coach.

The former Lions’ offensive coordinator has no experience as a head coach, so it was expected that the 38-year-old would look at hiring former head coaches to fill out the Bears’ coaching staff.

The Chicago Bears hired Dennis Allen as DC

Per Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network, on Sunday evening, the Bears are set to hire former Oakland Raiders and New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen.

“The Bears are hiring former Saints head coach and respected guru Dennis Allen as their new defensive coordinator,” Rapoport wrote on X. “The favorite to join coach Ben Johnson’s staff since Johnson’s hire, Allen adds experience and a top-notch DC to Chicago.”

Sources: The #Bears are hiring former #Saints head coach and respected guru Dennis Allen as their new defensive coordinator.

The favorite to join coach Ben Johnson’s staff since Johnson’s hire, Allen adds experience and a top-notch DC to Chicago. pic.twitter.com/oYpIftgfB9

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 27, 2025

Allen has previous experience as a defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos (2011) and Saints (2015-2021).

Allen has a 26-53 record as a head coach. He was fired by New Orleans in 2024 following a 2-7 start. Allen’s defenses ranked in the top 10 in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2017.

The Bears hired Declan Doyle as OC

The Bears decided to add a youthful coach on the offensive side of the ball.

Per the NFL Network, Chicago is set to hire Denver Broncos tight ends coach Declan Doyle as Caleb Williams’ fourth offensive coordinator in two offseasons.

“The Bears are hiring Broncos TE coach Declan Doyle as their new offensive coordinator, per me and Tom Pelisserio.” Rapoport posted. “A key hire for coach Ben Johnson, Doyle is a rising offensive mind. At just 28, he’s now an OC.”

The #Bears are hiring #Broncos TE coach Declan Doyle as their new offensive coordinator, per me and @TomPelissero.

A key hire for coach Ben Johnson, Doyle is a rising offensive mind. At just 28, he’s now an OC. pic.twitter.com/UicDflFnmJ

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 27, 2025

Doyle coached tight ends under head coach Sean Payton in 2023 and 2024.

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The Ben Johnson head coaching tenure is underway for the Chicago Bears, as the new hire is now in the process of building out his coaching staff. Despite being the head coach for less than a week, the rumors have swirled on who will be a part of the former Lions’ offensive coordinator new coaching staff, with a mix of experienced and newly appointed coaches to make up the final group. For Johnson, it is already impressive that he desires to have a few former head coaches apart of his staff to be paired with up-and-coming minds, something that is rarely seen from something that is a head coach for the first time.

Ben Johnson mixing experience with promising potential for his coaching staff is an intriguing initiative

Following the news that Johnson had been hired by the Bears to fill their head coaching vacancy, there was immediate rumors on who he would hire as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and special teams coordinator, as several known names were mentioned, including Dennis Allen and Darren Rizzi. Although Rizzi is unlikely to take the special teams’ position, it is significant that the Bears and Ben Johnson were in discussion. The significance is that Chicago was in serious contention for the services of the former Saints’ interim head coach with the Denver Broncos and former Super Bowl head coach Sean Payton.

Rizzi and Allen being former head coaches and having strong interest in working with Johnson is significant because they seem willing to work with a first-time head coach. Usually when head coaches are fired, they usually look to find job opportunities with experienced head coaches that they have previous ties too. With Ben Johnson’s hiring by Chicago, rumors of several experienced coaches wanting to work with the first timer shows how much they believe in the potential of the former offensive play-caller.

For Johnson, looking to hire experienced coaches that have served in previous head coaching roles, demonstrates an immense level of maturity and a desire to use past experience to help build success. When Matt Eberflus was hired in January of 2022, he hired Luke Getsy as his offensive coordinator and Alan Williams as his defensive coordinator. Getsy had never been a play-caller before, while Williams had only been a defensive coordinator for four seasons, with a majority of his coaching career spent as a positions coach.

When Eberflus put his coaching staff together, he made the mistake of bringing over several assistants and positional coaches that had worked with him during his time as defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. Additionally, he put Getsy in charge of the offensive staff, which also featured no coaches with significant high-level experience. Ben Johnson appears ready to do the opposite which is to pair experienced coaches who he hasn’t prior work connection to with other coaches that have shown success with the Bears already.

There have been discussions that special teams’ coordinator Richard Hightower, who has served in the role with the Bears for since 2022 and who has received consistent praise for his success. Johnson’s desire to retain Hightower following the Rizzi news demonstrates an added desire to keep the status quo for certain areas that of the coaching staff that might not need fixing. Too often do new head coaches completely overhaul a staff solely because they want their own personnel, but don’t take into account how valuable it could be to retain successful staff members, something that Johnson appears ready to acknowledge.

Ben Johnson’s desire for an experience play-caller as defensive coordinator is very promising

The most important hire for Johnson will be the defensive coordinator position, with Allen likely being that person to assume the role, which would be vital. Ben Johnson, despite being the head coach, will be the offensive play-caller with the defensive coordinator likely having total control of what goes on with the defense. Having Allen, who is a proven defensive coordinator and viewed as one of the best defensive minds in the NFL, would definitely provide peaceful assurance for a first-time head coach.

Although Allen may not have been the best head coach, his teams usually consistently good on defense, as the Saints defense during his coaching tenure improved statically year-over-year. It is this level of consistency and experience that matters to Johnson, who appears to understand the importance of having the right mind in place on defense, given how his main focus will be on offense. Having a coordinator with over a decade of defensive play-calling experience will be bring an immense level of flexibility and ease of pressure for Ben Johnson to focus on other areas of the team.

Of the four head coaches hired by the Bears since the Lovie Smith firing after the 2012 season, only one of those hires made sure to bring in a defensive coordinator with prior and proven experience. In 2015, John Fox brought in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio who had over 15 years’ worth of defensive play-calling experience. Despite Chicago only winning 14 games from 2015 to 2017, general manager Ryan Pace retained Fangio when Matt Nagy was hired to avoid the new offensive-minded head coach from having to worry about his defense. Chicago’s defense in 2018 was the best unit in the league leading the NFL in interceptions and sacks.

Where Pace was looking out for his new head coach, it appears that Johnson took the initiative to do it on his own, as it appears Chicago’s new head coach had a plan in place before his hiring. Ben Johnson knowing that having a defensive point man in place and having a proven name in place shows how ready the first-time head coach for the new role. The initiative to have a plan in place is something that had not been seen from past Bears’ head coaches, including Marc Trestman.

Although there have not been any confirmed hirings yet for Johnson’s coaching staff, the names being mentioned are already promising due to their proven experience. Ben Johnson was hired due to his consistent offensive play-calling success, but is immediately showing an impressive head coach trait, which is the ability identify quality coaching talent. Chicago’s new head coach won’t see the end results of his choices until the 2025 starts, but from what is being seen through his first few days in role is very promising.

The post Ben Johnson’s plans for his coaching staff appear to show significant promise appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bears coaching staff has yet to be finalized under new head coach Ben Johnson, but things are starting to come together. Johnson’s first season as the Bears lead man will be one of extreme optimism, as the franchise’s future has never looked brighter. He has already run into a hiccup in assembling in his staff in the fashion of not being able to bring in Hank Fraley from the Lions coaching staff.

Regardless of who fills the open positions that remain on Johnson’s first staff in Chicago, all openings should remain highly coveted. The early odds on favorite to be the Bears’ new defensive coordinator is Dennis Allen.

The 52-year-old spent the last two-plus seasons as the head coach in New Orleans before being fired midseason. Per a report, it is Allen’s replacement with the Saints that will now not be coming over to Chicago.

The Chicago Bears are not expected to hire Darren Rizzi

After early hopes were for the Bears to pursue Darren Rizzi along with Allen to join Johnson’s staff, those dreams were officially dashed on Thursday. The latest report shows that Chicago will retain current special teams coordinator, Richard Hightower.

Sources: Bears and Darren Rizzi not expected to happen. Bears expected to keep respected Richard Hightower as ST coordinator.
Lends lil more hope Broncos can land Rizzi but nothing imminent or decided. Rizzi in play for HC with Saints and possibly Raiders. Has other STC options.

— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) January 23, 2025

Rizzi impressed the football world with his passion and intensity during his brief stint as the Saints’ interim head coach. That tryout has earned him plenty of looks across the league, and unfortunately things will just not work out for him in Chicago.

Hightower has been he Bears special teams coordinator since 2022 after spending the previous four seasons in the same role with San Francisco. He will serve as a familiar face in the building to returning players and an in-house guide to getting Johnson settled into life at Halas Hall.

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With Ben Johnson being introduced as the 19th head coach in Chicago Bears franchise history on Wednesday, it is time for him to begin assembling his staff. An early report has former Saints head coach Dennis Allen as the favorite to be the Bears next defensive coordinator, with the potential to pluck Darren Rizzi away from New Orleans as well.

While the idea of bringing in Rizzi to be the Bears special teams coordinator seems unlikely, Allen is very much in play. Even though Johnson will be calling the plays on offense, who his right hand man will be remains unknown as well. Based on a Wednesday report, it appears one member of the Detroit offensive staff will not be following Johnson to Chicago.

Chicago Bears not expected to hire Hank Fraley

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported on Wednesday that Fraley is someone who Johnson will not pursue for his offensive staff in Chicago. Fraley has been the Lions offensive line coach since 2020 and is a former NFL offensive lineman himself. His reputation across the league as one of the top offensive line coaches is major and the fact that Detroit has a strong shot of keeping him around is tough for Chicago.

Fraley could have built up a Bears offensive line that has been an eye sore to watch for the last few seasons. With the exception of Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones, there aren’t many pieces worth saving from the line moving forward. Whether through the draft or free agency, the Chicago Bears front office will need to overhaul the line this offseason if they want to see any success from Caleb Williams in his second season. Unfortunately, the line will not be overseen by Fraley.

Other options for the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator job

While Biggs’ report said Johnson isn’t expected to raid Dan Campbell’s staff, it still is worth considering a few options from Detroit for the Bears offensive coordinator position. When looking at the Lions staff, Tanner Engstrand is an easy candidate to point to for Chicago. He has served as Detroit’s passing game coordinator since 2022 and is well respected within the organization.

Along with Engstrand, former NFL quarterback and current Lions quarterback coach Mark Brunell would make for a good option. The 54-year-old played in the NFL from 1993-2011 and has been on staff in Detroit since 2021. The main issue with the Bears if they are looking at Engstrand or Brunell is that they could be prime candidates to replace Johnson as the Lions offensive coordinator. However, if one or both of them don’t get that promotion, they could be in play for the Bears.

When looking outside the Detroit organization, a couple of names have come to mind in rumors for the job in Chicago. The current tight end coach in San Francisco, Brian Fleury, could make for an interesting fit. He works with Kyle Shanahan and has been on a staff with Johnson before. The two worked in Miami together for two seasons back when Adam Gase was the head coach of the Dolphins.

Another candidate the Bears could look to is Jerrod Johnson. The current Texans quarterback coach has worked hand in hand with C.J. Stroud through his first two NFL seasons. With that coaching background, he might not be a bad guy to have around the Chicago Bears’ franchise quarterback.

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The Ben Johnson era is officially here in Chicago. Despite the Chicago Bears interviewing nearly 20 different candidates for their head coaching vacancy, the organization landed on everyone’s favorite candidate all along. Johnson had the opportunity to make the leap to a head coaching role last offseason, but elected to return to Detroit. It appears that the Bears opening was the job he had his eyes on the entire time.

On Tuesday, the newest head coach of the Bears set foot in Halas Hall for the first time on Tuesday, signing his contract to make him the 19th head coach in franchise history. And as he arrived, he was greeted by cheers from Bears’ staff.

Johnson told Bears staffers “This is exactly where we wanted to be” as you can see in the clip below:

"This is exactly where we wanted to be." pic.twitter.com/mT56UoVGdl

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 21, 2025

Johnson agreed to a deal on Monday to become the next leader of the franchise after being the most coveted head coaching candidate across the league in quite some time. His offensive background will be beneficial for the development of Caleb Williams as he enters his second season in the NFL.

Ben Johnson still needs to assemble his staff for the Chicago Bears

With Johnson taking care of the offense, all of the focus shifts to the defensive side of the ball. Early rumors have former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen as the favorite to be the next defensive coordinator in Chicago. Allen runs a 4-3 defense and his style would mesh well with the current personnel on the Bears roster. Despite his lack of head coaching success in the NFL, Allen has still proven to be a good defensive mind in a building.

The Chicago Bears officially have their guy

The Bears went out and got the biggest name in a coaching cycle for the first time ever. It’s a new era in the Windy City and the hope of winning a Super Bowl officially lies in this offensive guru’s hands. With the Bears’ draft capital and open cap space, the front office has the opportunity to build a competitive roster for Johnson’s first season at the helm.

The big issues that will need to be addressed are on both sides of the line. Another pass rusher is a major need on the opposite side of Montez Sweat in order to generate any sort of pressure, which is something the Bears have lacked over the past two seasons.

The offensive line allowed Williams to be sacked a league-high 68 times this past season. That too is something that needs to change and can be done through free agency along with the draft. Lastly, replacing veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen will be on the to-do list. Allen had a solid year in Chicago, but Johnson could look for some more speed alongside DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.

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The Chicago Bears coaching search ended on Monday, just two weeks after the team’s offseason officially began.

And after interviews, the Bears are set to hire former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as the franchise’s 19thhead coach. News broke on Monday that the two sides were close to a deal, just two days after the Lions were eliminated.

With Johnson heading to Chicago, the next step is getting his staff in place and there are some rumors already circulating as to who he could hire. The first report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter as he lists former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator and head coach Dennis Allen as the leader to run the Bears defense:

“Ben Johnson has been busy assembiling a star-studded coaching staff. The leading candidate to become his defensive coordinator in Chicago is former Saints HC Dennis Allen, per league sources.

If the Bears do hire him, Allen provides a large wealth of knowledge and experience to the Bears coaching staff.

Dennis Allen would bring decades of experience to the Chicago Bears if hired.

Allen previously served as the defensive coordinator of the Saints from 2015 to 2021 and was the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos during the 2011 season. He was a member of Sean Payton’s 2010 Super Bowl-winning team, serving as the secondary coach. During his time as secondary coach, the Saints ranked third in the NFL in interceptions.

Even though Allen has not had the best track record as a head coach, he still is a very great defensive mind and could help the run defense improve and make the secondary even more aggressive.

Hiring Dennis Allen could be very beneficial to the Chicago Bears

Not only Allen is a great defensive mind, but him having previous head coaching experience would be extremely beneficial for a rookie head coach. Allen will be able to help with crucial in-game decisions to ease pressure on Johnson. This could also help Johnson be able to focus more on Caleb Williams and the Bears offense as well.

Having Allen by Johnson’s side could help the Bears greatly in the 2025 season and beyond.

It will be interesting to see if Allen is hired and who else will join this new Bears coaching staff.

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The Chicago Bears are in the early stages of their head coaching interview process. The Bears are holding virtual meetings with candidates this week.

The Bears have several people on their radar that are in the NFL playoffs. By rule, those coaches cannot meet with Chicago in person until Jan. 20.

Put simply, unless the Bears hire Mike Vrabel before the New England Patriots do, it’s going to be a while before there is a new head coach introduced in Halas Hall.

But the Bears have more than a head coaching search to worry about. Despite the search being about who can support Caleb Williams and the offense, Chicago also has talented pieces on defense that they have to consider after moving on from defensive-minded head coach Matt Eberflus.

Chicago Bears linked to Dennis Allen

Per ESPN‘s Dan Graziano, former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is thought to be a potential defensive coordinator candidate for the Bears.

“Former Saints head coach Dennis Allen should have options on the defensive coordinator circuit as well, Graziano wrote. “There are intriguing openings tied to open head coach jobs, as the Bears, Jets, and Jaguars all have good defensive building blocks. There are also open defensive coordinator jobs in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, where the head coaches aren’t turning over.”

Allen has been in the league since he started as a defensive quality control coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2002. He became a defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos in 2011. He became the head of the Oakland Raiders in 2012.

Allen has been an NFL head coach twice

The former Texas A&M safety became the New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator in 2015, working his way up to replace Sean Payton as head coach in 2022.

Allen’s work as a head coach was not good. He went 26-53 in six seasons as a head coach. Allen didn’t finish his final season with the Raiders or Saints before he was canned.

Allen’s defenses were in the top ten for points allowed and yards allowed from 2020-2022. His Sants gave up the eighth-least points in 2023, but the 13th-least yards in 2023.

At 52, Allen could provide experience if he were asked to work with a young offensive mind like Ben Johnson or Joe Brady.

But the Bears have a long way to go before a defensive coordinator is hired.

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