Chicago Bears lose fan-favorite linebacker to Matt Eberflus and the Dallas Cowboys

The Chicago Bears made a controversial decision not to retain a fan-favorite linebacker this offseason, and now he'll play for Matt Eberflus' defense with the Dallas Cowboys.

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Chicago Bears fans were shocked when news broke that the team chose not to tender restricted free agent Jack Sanborn earlier this month. As a result, the fan-favorite linebacker was free to test the open market, and it didn't take long for his former coach to scoop him up.

Yeah, that former coach, the forgettable Matt Eberflus, who's now the defensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys, certainly lobbied for Sanborn, who plans to sign a one-year deal in Big D.

Sanborn started 19 of the 48 games he played for the Bears, totaling 164 tackles and 4.5 sacks during his three years in Chicago. His emergence as a weekly contributor was a pleasant surprise after he joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Sanborn's long-term outlook with the Bears became unstable when Chicago signed two high-priced linebackers, Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards, in 2023. His snap count dropped from 412 in 2023 to 235 in 2024, indicating his shrinking role.

With a fresh start in Dallas, Jack Sanborn has a chance to establish himself as a viable every-down starter in the NFL. And I wouldn't bet against him becoming just that.

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