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Where Dennis Allen Sees Bears Pass Rush After Marcus Davenport Signing

Chicago's defensive coordinator must have seen something indicating a need for more pass rush help before they signed one of his former players, or did he?
Gene Chamberlain|
Jamree Kromah sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the second half at Soldier Field Saturday.
Jamree Kromah sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the second half at Soldier Field Saturday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

Dennis Allen's past connection with defensive end Marcus Davenport explains his signing with the Bears probably even better than their current need for edge rush help.

After all, there are other edges out there who might have been better.

“We drafted him in New Orleans," Allen said Wednesday. "He's always been a disruptive player. You can put on a lot of tape and see him in the backfield creating a lot of disruption."

It's true there was disruption, was being the key word. Just four sacks in the past four seasons and 3 1/2 in three since he left New Orleans says perhaps Davenport's success is ancient history. He's not old at 29, 30 in a couple weeks at a position where player produce into their mid and late 30s. However, Davenport had 21 1/2 in his first four years and injuries contributed to his lack of production.

"Everybody talks about production," Allen said. "There's a lot of hidden production in that he creates a lot of opportunities for other people. He understands the mentality and the mindset of how we want to play defense, and I think he's a good fit."

This is the system knowledge Allen is banking on with Davenport, who couldn't get beyond his repeated injury issues with the Vikings and Lions.

"Obviously, the biggest thing for Marcus, and it's been that way throughout his career, is his ability to be healthy and maintain his health," Allen acknowledged. "But when he's out there, he's a disruptive force.”

The problem is he's joining a defense already beset with injuries. Adding someone who has a habit of turning up on the injury list is not the best way to get past this.

Fortunately for the Bears, the serious defensive injury situation has been entirely in the secondary at this point. Their edge rush was definitely not a problem in the preseason opener with subs playing, as Jamree Kromah had two sacks and Jeremiah Martin one.

“I think the pass rush has been better, and it still needs to improve," Allen said. "We'll have great opportunity this week against Cincinnati, both in the joint practices and in the game. But I think the pass rush has improved, and I think it will continue to improve.”

Manpower reasons for improvement

If this really is the case, it's partly because of Austin Booker's improvement.

"Book is turning into a complete player," defensive end Montez Sweat said. "He’s a guy that wants to be out there on first and second down and obviously he shows his pass rush to us on third down.

"I believe he’s coming into a complete player that he can be.

If he isn't the all-purpose type they need, Booker could fit in pass rush situations while Dayo Odeyingbo and/or Davenport are on in run downs. As with Odeyingbo, Davenport is regarded as very stout against the run at 285 pounds.

The Bears can always use anyone who can stop the run because it makes the pass rush better.

They've also seen improvement from the lower levels of the roster, like former practice squad player Kromah. He had a good number of first-team reps in the offseason when Montez Sweat wasn't practicing.

"I think this, I think he's really taken to the coaching the way that we are trying to teach which is a little bit different than what we were doing last year," Allen said. "We are trying to be a little more attacking and a little bit more aggressive. Attack the line of scrimmage a little bit more and so there's some key coaching points in being able to do that.

"I think he's one of the guys who has really just stuck with it. He's really tried to focus on doing those things exactly how we are coaching it. Him along with a few others. When you see it and they see the results of when you do it exactly right, you have success and therefore success breeds success. I've been really impressed with what I've seen. Hopefully, throughout the course of these joint practices, we will get a little more of a look at him, maybe even working with the ones, and see as you start to increase the level of competition, what does it look like? Does it look the same? Excited to see that."

At the rate they've been losing defensive backs to injuries, any edge rush pressure they can get helps the back end of the defense. it almost becomes a reverse of last year when the secondary held up a defense struggling to apply pressure.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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