DeMarcus Walker Laying Down the Law
The Bears can't be sure they have the required edge rush yet to compete against NFC North passing games.
GM Ryan Poles could even be on the way to signing one soon.
What they can be sure is they have a potential leader on their defense in defensive end DeMarcus Walker, who left Tennessee to come to the Bears in free agency.
"I mean, we love the guys that are here, of course, but our job is to always make the roster better," coach Matt Eberflus said after Wednesday's second of three minicamp practices. "We're always going to be looking to upgrade in certain spots that we need to that are premium positions, of course are first, and then the role players are second.
"We always do that. That's our job as GM and head football coach."
Eberflus said he would be talking soon with Poles about what they need, and the reason it could be edge rusher is with Walker, Rasheem Green, Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson they seem to lack the guy on edge to terrorize QBs.
"Ryan and I are always having those conversations, and they're big conversations and they're daily," Eberflus said. "I'll sit down later today, get in his office. We do it sometimes in the morning, we grab each other and start having a conversation and it's really about what do we project being the 53-man roster, what are the battles for training camp, what if this person goes down–are we OK with our depth at this certain spot?
"We talk a lot of different topics about the roster, and I think it's important to do. You try to prepare yourself for anything that could happen during training camp and then leading up to the season."
Walker is coming off a career-high seven sacks with Tennessee and Green had a career-high 6 1/2 sacks two years ago before sliding back to 3 1/2 last year in Houston. Counting on either to challenge double-digit sacks seems a stretch but they do know they can count on Walker for some leadership.
He came to Chicago with some fears of stepping on toes as he became a holler guy they needed on defense.
"D-Walk is high energy," safety Eddie Jackson said. "He's going to call you out. Just to have a guy like that, first year, don't care about the faces, come in and he loves football.
"He's ready to call guys out, hold guys accountable."
Walker wasn't sure at first how far he needed to take this.
"That is big because you know, me coming in, I didn't want to overstep Eddie Jackson," Walker said. "I didn't want to overstep a lot of guys that have been here a lot longer, you know what I'm saying?"
Then he brought up to new veteran teammates like Jackson whether he should be busting chops, and was assured he needed to keep doing it.
"They're asking me to make a difference here," Walker said. "I am firm believer in go into a situation opposite to where I come, being myself, and come lay down the law of things I see and what I learn along this journey."
If the leadership is appreciated, Bears fans would just like to sacks, from someone, anyone, after a league-low 20 team sacks last year and just 6 1/2 from defensive ends.
"Put me anywhere. Put me anywhere," Walker said. "I just want to play."
He does play anywhere, from three technique to end. The Bears have been lining him up at end in their base 4-3 during minicamp and OTAs. He even played some nose tackle, although he's not big enough for that position at 6-foot-4, 280 pounds..
"We've had a couple big ends before in the past that are really good run setters," Eberflus said. "They do a good job with that. You can decide to put them to the tight end (side), away from the tight end, you put them to the right side or the left side based on the team where they like to run the football.
"So we've done various things with that. And with those guys that are bigger ends, you kick them inside on the third down package, which we’ve done that with some guys and had some success there, too. But we're just feeling him out right now. I love his energy, I love where he is in terms of being a leader on the defense, just the way he plays and the example he sets, how he practices."
And how he lays down the law.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
