The Chicago Bears have signed former Houston Texans defensive lineman Rasheem Green to a one-year deal.
Green is a former third-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2018, who played four years with Seattle before joining the Houston Texans in 2022. He’s already played five years in the league and is only 25 years old, so there’s plenty of upside with this move by general manager Ryan Poles.
Green is a versatile defensive lineman with the ability to play outside and inside, and he should be a solid rotational piece in Matt Eberflus’ defense.
We spoke to Mark Lane of Texans Wire, who gave us the rundown on what we can expect from the Bears’ new defensive lineman and why he could be a good fit for Chicago.
1
What kind of player are the Bears getting in Rasheem Green?
Mark Lane: The Bears are getting a defensive end who can play the run but also mix it up and pressure the quarterback. There was optimism that Green would be one of the hidden gems of coach Lovie Smith’s defensive line rotation. In a similar defense such as Matt Eberflus’, Green may be able to find a way to contribute meaningful snaps, and would definitely be the type to take advantage of one-on-one matchups if there were a dominant edge rusher offenses had to key in on.
2
What’s Green’s biggest strength?
ML: Green’s biggest strength is being a part of run support, which is a hard thing to really state given that Houston’s run defense was more porous last seize than pollen going through a chainlink fence. However, Green was able to generate five tackles for loss through 16 games, just one short of his 2021 total through 17 games.
3
Where does Green need to improve?
ML: The former Seattle Seahawks 2018 third-round pick had a dip in his sack production, down from 6.5 in 2021 to 3.5 in 2022. Part of that could have been due to the Texans being so easy against the run that there weren’t opportunities for Green to make an impact. The potential is there as his 6-4, 279-pound frame allows for him to get a mitt in the passing lanes, making it difficult for quarterbacks to throw. Green had two pass breakups with Houston last year, tied for a team-high among defensive linemen.
4
What impact did Green have on defense during his time with the Texans?
ML: Green came out strong at the beginning of the season with 20 combined tackles, four tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, 3.5 sacks, and a pass breakup through Weeks 2-6 (inactive Week 1). Then, Green’s production dipped as he collected 20 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, a quarterback hit, and a pass breakup through the next 11 games. Like most of the Texans defense, Green got lost in the shuffle once the team started its downward trend towards the No. 2 overall pick.
5
Why do you think Green could be a good fit for the Bears?
ML: Because the Bears seem to run what Smith runs to some degree in having a defensive line rotation. If Green can blend in and be a part of a front seven that at least can lock down the run, he will be able to showcase some of his other talents and get after the quarterback. What happened with Green in Houston was more of a case of the system around him coming apart more so than anything he actually failed at.
