The Chicago Bears wrapped the 2022 season with a 3-14 record and a 10-game losing streak. Despite finishing with the worst record in the league, there’s plenty of optimism surrounding the team heading into 2023.
Chicago’s defense is looking to rebound following a brutal 2022 season, where they struggled to get after the quarterback and stop the run. We’ll see if GM Ryan Poles’ offseason additions, including Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter and Tyrique Stevenson, can help remedy that.
With that in mind, our Bears Wire staff is sharing their biggest question marks on defense ahead of the 2023 season.
Alyssa Barbieri: Who's bringing pressure off the edge?
The Bears overhauled multiple positions this offseason, but edge rusher remains the team’s biggest concern heading into the 2023 season. Chicago had the league’s worst pass rush last year, totaling 20 sacks in 17 games. The question is who will be bringing pressure off the edge consistently. The Bears signed a couple veterans in DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green in free agency, and they have some young talent in Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson. But they lack a superstar at the position after parting ways with Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn last year. There have been multiple hints that Chicago could sign a veteran ahead of training camp later this month, and it’s something worth monitoring over the next few weeks.
Brendan Sugrue: Can the new defensive tackles make an impact?
Edge rusher is still the biggest question mark, but the defensive tackle position also needs to have a better showing this fall after a lackluster 2022 season. Justin Jones was serviceable, totaling 52 tackles (12 for a loss) and three sacks but was a non-factor in run defense for much of the season. He’s also the only notable player left from last year at the position. The team signed veteran Andrew Billings and drafted rookies Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens to overhaul the position and improve the defense as a whole. Someone from that bunch is going to need to step up and help improve a run defense that ranked 31st in the league as well as a pass rush that ranked 32nd.
If the defensive tackles can cause disruption at the line of scrimmage, the rest of the defense will have an easier time with their assignments, including the edge rushers. It’s a position that’s deeper and better than it was in 2022 but they will need to show results.
Ryan Fedrau: Are the Monsters of the Midway back at linebacker?
The Bears parted ways with Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith, and Robert Quinn – three starting linebackers with the team in the Matt Nagy era. In return, they will have Jack Sanborn, TJ Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, and likely rookie Noah Sewell filling those spots. Edwards and Edmunds will fill the gap in talent that was lost when Chicago parted ways with their stars. Will it be enough to revamp the defense though? That comes up to Sanborn, who played very well last season, and Sewell, the rookie out of Oregon. All of the pieces have to come together, and I am confident in both Edwards and Edmunds. It’s the depth players who need to step up, especially at linebacker and in the secondary, to bring the Monsters of the Midway back to true form.
Jarrett Bailey: How impactful will the pass rush be?
The Bears leader in sacks last year was Jaquan Brisker, which is concerning for two reasons- 1. He only had four sacks and 2. He is a safety. The Bears did very little to address their lack of presence off the edge, as well. Trevis Gipson and DeMarcus Walker leave a lot to be desired. With the likes of Justin Houston and Yannick Ngakoue still available, bringing at least one of them in would be a solid move.
