Bears Defensive Decline Apparent
What faces the Bears and other teams in the NFC North this year is fairly obvious from the preseason All-NFC North defensive squad voted on by publishers of FanNation from the division.
While once the Green Bay Packers were thought of as an offensive powerhouse because of Aaron Rodgers, it's quite apparent from this all-division team that their defense has risen to an elite status and is even more dominant than their offense.
Six players on the all-division defensive team were Packers.
Once it was the Bears who would have pulled down five or six unanimous spots on such a team but times have changed in a few years and they had one unanimous spot along with two where players tied for positions.
All-NFC North Defense
*Unanimous selection. **Tied for spot.
Edge Rashan Gary, Packers
Gary proved the Packers right for picking him at No. 12 overall in 2019. Last season, he had 9.5 sacks but ranked second in pressures and pass-rush win rate and third in pass-rushing productivity at Pro Football Focus. Gary is so big and explosive. There isn’t a bit of finesse to his game. The key will be turning more of those 81 pressures into sacks.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, Vikings*
Tomlinson was the Vikings' big free agent splash in 2021 after turning into a major contributor with the Giants. He's not a spectacular player or a particularly prolific pass rusher, but he does the dirty work of plugging holes in the run game and taking on double teams so his teammates can make plays. Tomlinson is a key piece of the Vikings' front.
Defensive tackle Kenny Clark, Packers*
A Pro Bowler in 2019 and 2021, Clark is one of the few NFL defensive linemen capable of dominating a game on first down as well as third down. While he had only four sacks, he ranked fourth among interior defensive linemen with 67 pressures, according to PFF. Drafted in the first round in 2016, he is only 26. The Packers have some rookies who are 26.
Edge Danielle Hunter, Vikings**
Hunter may have been a unanimous choice for this team if he had stayed healthy over the last two seasons. Once the youngest player in NFL history to reach 50 career sacks, Hunter has missed 25 of 33 games since 2020 due to separate major injuries. He's back healthy this year and will look to remind the world what he's capable of.
Edge Robert Quinn, Bears**
By making 18 1/2 sacks last year to break Richard Dent's single-season franchise record, Quinn erased memories of his two-sack 2020 season. Quinn now has 101 career sacks. He has also forced 32 fumbles, including seven in the last two years with the Bears. Now 32, he is playing in a 4-3 scheme where he has been most effective throughout his career.
Linebacker Roquan Smith, Bears*
Smith has joined elite company as he and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis are the only two at the position to make 300 or more tackles and 30 or more tackles for loss over two years. Smith has 302 tackles, 30 for loss. Although he has yet to make a Pro Bowl, Smith has been second-team All-Pro two straight years and moves to weak side from the middle in the new Bears 4-3 scheme.
Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, Packers
In 2021, the first several waves of free agency had come and gone. Finally, during the June minicamp, the Packers signed Campbell to a one-year deal worth merely $2 million. The reward? An All-Pro season – the first by a Packers off-the-ball linebacker since Hall of Famer Ray Nitschke. He was the only linebacker in the NFL with 100-plus tackles and at least two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander, Packers*
Alexander earned All-Pro honors in 2020 but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury. The Packers recently made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. And for good reason. Alexander gave up completion rates of 48.5 percent in 2019, 42.3 percent in 2020 and 46.7 percent during his injury-shortened 2021, according to Sports Info Solutions.
Cornerback Amani Oruwariye, Lions*
The talented defensive back has cemented himself as being one of Detroit’s best players on defense. The expectation from the coaching staff is now for Oruwariye to evolve into a shutdown cornerback. With Jeff Okudah being a huge question mark, Detroit can count on their No. 1 cornerback.
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson, Bears**
The first rookie to start at cornerback on opening day for the Bears since 1996, Johnson's 24 career pass defenses are the most for any NFC North player over the past two seasons. Johnson was given the task of covering a team's top receiver all over the field last year. He has given up just 58% completions when targeted the last two years,, according to Sportradar.
Cornerback Rasul Douglas, Packers**
What a year for Douglas. He wasn’t re-signed by the Panthers in free agency, was released by the Raiders and Texans in training camp, and had to settle for a spot on the Cardinals’ practice squad. That’s where the Packers found a real X-factor. In 12 games, he tied for fourth with five interceptions, including two pick-sixes, and ranked No. 1 in passer rating allowed, according to PFF.
Safety: Harrison Smith, Vikings*
Instincts and intelligence. The 2012 first-rounder has been one of the best safeties in the league for a decade now, and a few more strong seasons could help his case for Canton. It'll be fun to watch the Vikings' longest-tenured player play alongside talented rookie Lewis Cine in the secondary this year.
Safety Adrian Amos, Packers
Amos is one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Perhaps that’s due to a lack of big plays. He has four consecutive seasons of two interceptions. A big thing at safety is preventing big plays, and that’s where Amos is incredible. He’s in the right place at the right time every time, and he’s one of the best open-field tacklers in the business.
Punter Jack Fox, Lions
A bright spot from last season, Fox has quickly burst on to the scene with his booming leg. Detroit’s special teams unit is well coached, as coordinator Dave Fipp has maximized the potential of the players on the roster. Nobody likes having to punt, but having Fox gives the defense hopes of being able to pin opponents deep in their own zone with high frequency.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
