Possible Bears D-Line Replacements

One defining quality of the 4-3 defense Matt Eberflus brings to the Bears is speed and athleticism over size on the line.

The three technique on the defensive line is a key tackle position as the attacking pass rusher on the interior. He strikes from the weak side of the formation, in the gap off the outside shoulder of the guard.

The three technique is not necessarily big but is quick off the ball.

The embodiment of current success with this position is Aaron Donald, although you could probably put someone of his talent at many spots across the defensive front with similar results.

The Bears lack an ideal three technique, at least of the desired type and talent level.

They do have players who have lined up at this place on the field, but not against the weak side of the offensive formation in that spot while consistently attacking upfield.

Both Bilal Nichols and Akiem Hicks have played three technique. The Bears used a four-man front in their nickel defense so they had someone on the field who at least lined up over the guard's outside shoulder, even if it wasn't always the weak side of the formation.

These two best interior Bears defensive linemen are free agents.

When Pro Football Focus came out in January with a list of the best available interior defensive linemen in free agency, No. 1 was none other than Hicks.

With his combination of strength and explosiveness, it's possible some team would want to try him at the three technique in a 4-3. Would that team be the Bears?

The smaller, quicker defensive lineman is usually the ideal three technique and not a 330-pound force like Hicks. Donald is 6-1, 285 pounds. But Hicks is quite different than most who are 330 to 340 pounds.

The common NFL 330-pounder plays over the center and is a nose tackle. This has never been Hicks' strength. He fit the four technique in the three-man line and even three technique because of his explosiveness off the ball. Why waste a player with his strength and speed, at his size, only to hold up two blockers when he can be tearing down the offensive line by attacking?

The Bears talked last training camp with Hicks' agent, Drew Rosenhaus. They never arrived at a contract. His cap hit was over $10 million last year.

It's probably best they didn't get a contract because it's possible this group of Bears decision makers will decide he's not a piece suited to their 4-3 front.

Part of the reason smaller defensive tackles fill this role better in a 4-3 is they need to be very agile. When they're attacking upfield, the potential for being out of their gap of responsibility occurs. When this happens it breaks down the entire front.

Someone fast, strong and agile can recover quicker if they've extended beyond their own lane of responsibility, and then they can keep the uncovered gap from being exploited. While powerful and fast, Hicks appears less likely to have this recovery ability.

Still, it would be interesting to see someone with his ferocity and size attempt the task. If he pulled it off, he might actually revolutionize the three technique position for a 4-3s.

The real problem is Hicks turns 33 in November and missed 19 games the last three seasons with injuries or COVID, after three straight seasons without a missed game. This has to be taken into account by the Bears or any team signing him.

It's assumed the Bears would be interested in adding a three technique through the draft because the cost is far lower. The projected cost in free agency for many of the defensive linemen available could scare off even teams with a decent amount of cap space available, like the Bears.

Here are players who they could be looking at in free agency if they wanted to go in a different direction than Hicks and Nichols or the draft for a possible three technique or 4-3 nose.

B.J. Hill, Bengals

In his fifth year, he has 13 sacks and had 5.5 last year with career highs of 50 tackles and 12 quarterback hits. At 6-3, 303, he seemed to fit well as a 4-3 tackle and only the cost is a difficult ask, projected by Pro Football Focus at $26.25 million total divided over three years.

D.J. Jones, 49ers

Projected by PFF at the same price as Hill, he is just 27 and good size for a three technique at 6-foot, 305. He's coming off career highs of 56 tackles and 10 for loss. He's not the best at closing the pass rush with two sacks last year.

Calais Campbell, Ravens

Really he has been more suited to end in a 3-4 at 6-8 and 300 pounds or even end in a 4-3. Now 35 years old, he doesn't seem like a fit for a 4-3 interior lineman, although that long reach can help knock down passes in theory. He only had one of those last year after getting six in 2020.

Maliek Collins, Texans

He has both past Matt Eberflus connection and also with fabled 4-3 defensive line coach Rod Marinelli because he was with the in 2020 and then last year in Lovie Smith's 4-3. Before that in 2016 he was drafted by the Cowboys when Marinelli was the defensive coordinator and Eberflus was linebackers coach. In those Cowboys seasons he had 14 1/2 tackles for three years. Last year in Smith's system he got nine tackles for loss, seven QB hits and 2 1/2 sacks. So he is a player who could play somewhere in an attacking Bears front. His cost is projected at three years and $27.75 million by PFF

Sheldon Richardson, Vikings

Probably a lower cost lineman as he has been around a while and just turned 31. Richardson is good size for a 4-3 tackle at 6-3, 290 and versatile enough that he actually played outside linebacker in the Jets 3-4, as well as defensive end. With 33 1/2 sacks, he might not be an ideal fit at three technique but is a capable of doing about anything asked of him in the line. A lower-cost option at this point in his career.

Quinton Jefferson, Raiders

Coming off a five-sack, 16-pressure season and at 28, he looks like a possible addition for any 4-3 team because of his time spent under Marinelli. At 6-4, 291, he is coming off a season with career highs of 4 1/2 sacks and 16 quarterback hits. He might be an ideal Bears addition at a lower price.

Ndamukong Suh, Buccaneers

If Hicks had shown the same ability to play through all possible situations as Suh has throughout his career, perhaps there is no question about the Bears keeping their free agent. At 35 for 2022, Suh has missed only two starts in his entire career and both came in 2011. Last year saw the first real decline in his tackle totals, as it fell to 27, the lowest of his career. He still had good totals of 13 QB hits, seven tackles for loss and six sacks. At 6-4, 315, he still can play the one-gap front and probably is more likely to want to finish up in Tampa now after winning a Super Bowl there.

Linval Joseph, Vikings

He's closer to Hicks' size at 6-4, 329, but probably more suited for a nose in the 4-3 than the three technique slot. At $8.5 million a year and 33 years old, he should probably be a more ideal fit at three technique before the Bears would consider him.

Larry Ogunjobi, Bengals

Coming off his best all-around season with seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss, to go with 16 quarterback hits. At 27 years old, he could be a good fit in a 4-3 at either defensive tackle spot. The 6-4, 305-pounder also can command bigger bucks after just one productive year in Cincinnati following his departure from Cleveland.

Jarran Reed, Chiefs

Reed turned down more than the $5.5 million he got from the Chiefs in order to leave Seattle, but didn't put up big numbers for the Chiefs.

So will the 6-3, 313-pounder get the big contract now? He had just 2 1/2 sacks and two tackles for loss among his 43 tackles last year but has 24 1/2 sacks for his career.

Nick Williams, Lions

The former Bears player fit as a 3-4 rotational lineman with the Bears but wasn't a big producer in Detroit. He took $5 million a year to leave and hasn't really been a 4-3 tackle except for a brief five-game stint in 2016 with Miami.

DaQuan Jones, Panthers

At 6-4, 320, more of a plug or nose tackle than the Bears would be looking for, and is 30.

Austin Johnson, Giants

A big year for him individually in 2021 could give him a fit with a new team as he had four sacks, seven QB hits and 72 tackles, but the 6-4, 314-pounder seems more ideally suited to nose in a 3-4.

Vincent Taylor, Texans

Coming out of the Lovie Smith system. At 6-3, 311, he wasn't good enough regardless of system and has just two starts in five years.

Gerald McCoy, Raiders

At one time, yes, an ideal player for the three technique. After a year with the Raiders where he had injury issues and a PED suspension, and considering he's 33 now, probably not a good Bears fit in a 4-3.

Danny Shelton, Giants

A hunker-down guy at nose for a 3-4 and not a 4-3 tackle. Consider his nickname: Feast Mode. Then you know he's no lighter, attacking lineman.

Taven Bryan, Jaguars

Could provide backup help in a 4-3 as a 6-5, 291-pounder. He had eight QB hits, two sacks and four tackles for loss last year in a reserve role.

Tyquan Lewis, Colts

He was playing for Eberflus last year and had three sacks to go with six hits. But at 6-3, 277 he could be a bit undersized even for this scheme. He had 8 1/2 sacks for the Colts in four seasons under Eberflus with 15 tackles for loss. Some might consider him more a 4-3 end than a tackle.

Derrick Nnadi, Chiefs

Experienced but not a big producer for the Chiefs with three sacks and 38 tackles despite starting 10 games. He could play a starting role for a team trying to rebuild a different type of defensive front, like the Bears are. Probably too nose tacklish for the Bears at 6-1, 317.

Justin Jones, Chargers

He didn't really seem to fit the Fangio style defense with the Chargers under Brandon Staley with 11 starts and three sacks last year at 6-3, 3-9. He might be better suited for a 4-3, one-gap system like the Bears use.

Taylor Stallworth, Colts

A good fit for the Bears as a former Eberflus player who is 6-2, 305 and can play the three technique. He just didn't develop at a high level in it and could be a stop-gap or reserve until a draft pick is ready to take over. He had career highs of 16 tackles, 12 quarterback hits, three sacks and four tackles for loss last year.

Sebastian Joseph-Day

Another non-fit for the Fangio style with the Rams when Staley was there and last year. He might be better suited to one-gap style at 6-4, 310. He had a career-high three sacks last year. He played nose tackle and defensive tackle in the past and has versatility butdidn't produce much in 38 starts.

Shamar Stephen, Broncos

A 6-5, 310-pounder who had originally started as a 4-3 tackle with the Vikings but wasn't a good fit with the Broncos under Fangio. A low-impact player. He's never had more than three quarterback hits in a season and has just 4 1/2 career sacks.

Christian Covington, Chargers

Was a defensive end or nose in a 3-4 and had one season with Dallas and one with Cincinnati as a 4-3 nose. So he's probably not a three technique. He started 14 games for the Bengals in 2020, by far his most playing time in the league, then hit free agency and was a backup for the Chargers last year.

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