Offensive Emphasis a Faulty Assumption
The need for receivers and possibly linemen to help Justin Fields will be balanced by Bears GM Ryan Poles in this draft and free agency against the defensive side.
Long-held assumptions about the Bears defense as their great strength, with offense as an overriding need are off base. They are outdated.
The Bears definitely do need offensive help, but the defense as the Bears knew it from 2018-2021 no longer exists.
In fact, it was nothing to get excited about when they were sixth in the league on defense last season. It was a deceiving rank made possible by Robert Quinn's 18 1/2 sacks.
Quinn and Khalil Mack still give them the ability to rush the passer from the outside, granted. But they already had problems defending passes in the secondary and at linebacker.
They also were anything but a strong team against the run, ranking 23rd overall. It was their worst performance against the run since 2016.
A poor run defense is the fastest invitation to a losing record.
Defensive Front Needs Revamp
Their defensive front is going to change because Akiem Hicks and Bilal Nichols are free agents, and it's questionable if they would want nose tackle Eddie Goldman on the roster after an ineffective season. His departure provides good salary cap savings.
So if the run defense is to get better, there will need to be an all-out effort to bring in talent capable of playing within an attacking one-gap defensive front.
Besides different type linemen, they're going to need linebackers, lots of linebackers.
They were basically playing a base scheme with three down linemen and two standing defensive ends, but only two linebackers. Now they are going to need three linebackers in the base package and they'll be using different techniques than linebackers played last year.
While linebacker Roquan Smith is going to get paid big time, what they'll do at the other linebacker positions is a mystery. Going young and cheap would be better, and that means the draft.
Alec Ogletree replaced injured Danny Trevathan. Both are in their 30s and their skills are better suited for a 3-4. Ogletree was hailed as a real find but he allowed a 76.5 completion percentage when targeted, a 106 passer rating against and missed 10.3% of his tackle attempts.
Pro Football Focus isn't the end-all for judging inside linebackers. They often downgrade inside linebackers compared to their grading at other positions, like offensive tackle. They've totally downgraded and misgraded Smith throughout his career.
But even assuming this weak analysis, Ogletree still had a bad season. PFF said only one linebacker of all the 87 they graded had a worse season than Ogletree. That was Tae Crowder of the Giants. No matter what way you slice it, this still leaves Ogletree somewhere in the bottom third of the NFL among linebackers.
Linebacker Shortage
The Bears don't have a strong side linebacker fitted for a 4-3 defense and are short of linebackers no matter what formation they use.
They have Jeremiah Attaochu under contract but he's essentially another defensive end at 262 pounds, and not an off-ball linebacker. He's played four career games as a 4-3 linebacker.
The lack of middle linebacker and someone on the strong side must be addressed, assuming they are going to play Smith in the weak side or playmaking spot.
Don't get too cozy with those wide receiver or offensive line assumptions.
The Bears need help on defense as much as they need to help Fields with a supporting cast.
The workouts at this week's combine for linebackers, interior defensive linemen and defensive backs will be just as critical for their future as those for blockers and pass catchers.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
