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Bear Digest

Bears Expect To Get Faster Production From Their Depth Acquisitions

Kalif Raymond and two defensive tackle free agents come to Chicago more able to be plug-and-play types for several key reasons.
Gene Chamberlain|
Neville Gallimore tackles Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty last season in Indianapolis.
Neville Gallimore tackles Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty last season in Indianapolis. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Backup players acquired at lower salaries must bring something different to the mix in order to contribute.

System knowledge is the best possible thing they can have coming to a new team because, face it, if their skill set was the key contribution, then they wouldn't be backups or cheap acquisitions.

Bears role players acquired in free agency have better ability to make an impact because they should already have a better idea what's required of them versus players that are unfamiliar with the Bears' coaching styles or systems.

Kalif Raymond's Ben Johnson connection

The former Lions wide receiver played in Johnson's Detroit offense, and although the Bears' version is altered somewhat it is still basically what was used in Detroit.

"I've been on a couple of new teams before, so I always tell people that the first year of going to a new team, no matter if you're young or old, to be able to have that adjustment period is a real thing," Raymond said. "The more familiarity you can have with faces, scheme, all of those other things, it helps reduce that time that it takes to get adjusted."

Raymond has the added advantage of having worked with receivers coach Antwaan Randle El before, too.

Raymond's target totals in Detroit had already dropped off from highs of 71,  64 and 44 in his first three seasons to only 22 and 30 as Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs became bigger parts of the offense. How much he'd even contribute in an attack with Colston Loveland, Luther Burden and Rome Odunze as the three top targets would seem to be very limited, but at least he has a history of catching the ball when targeted and then being able to gain yards after the catch, besides already knowing the attack.

The Bears' Defensive Tackles

Defensive line might seem more a matter of brute force and explosiveness. With the reserve defensive tackles signed by the Bears, there is more technique involved.

When Dennis Allen became coordinator and Jeremy Garrett the defensive line coach, they converted from Matt Eberflus' attacking style up front. However, they didn't go to a two-gap approach with defensive linemen merely occupying blockers so linebackers could make tackles.

Instead, the defensive lineman attack by driving into the blockers, trying to force the offensive lineman backwards. Then the d lineman get off the block to attack the ball carrier or quarterback.

Gervon Dexter should have had little trouble adjusting to this because he played both the read-and-react style and attacking style in college. However, Grady Jarrett has usually been more of a gap-attacking three-technique with exception of a short time in Atlanta. He wasn't an exact Bears scheme fit.

Former Falcons teammate Kentavius Street is a player who has not only played in the Allen's defense one season in New Orleans, but came up three years with the 49ers when his defensive line coach was basically the one who came up with the system.

“Coach (Garrett), JG goes way back for me," Street said. "He has familiarity with my longtime D-line coach Ryan Nielsen."

Nielsen is Vikings defensive running game coordinator.

"He's (Garrett) trying to blend, coach Nielsen’s system with the (Kris) Kocurek attack scheme," Street said.

The reason Nielsen is important is he was the Saints defensive line coach and assistant head coach for Allen in New Orleans from 2017-2022 before he did it in Atlanta in 2023, when Street was also there.

As for Kocurek, his system was the one Street came into the league playing in San Francisco for three seasons. Street was in Kocurek's system from 2019-21 with the 49ers. However, Street's best NFL season came in New Orleans under Nielsen and Allen

"I've been blessed enough to be in both systems, so I'm a blend of both things," Street said. "I can put a vision out of what he wants the defensive fronts to be. That's somewhat my role, to just come here and be, I wouldn't say the standard, but what he wants the D-line room to be. A blend of both cultures, not so much on the line of scrimmage, but not just running up the field.

"We want to attack blocks, knock them back, play on their side of the  line of scrimmage, really disrupt plays and play the run on the way to the passer. That's basically what I've been sold on the defense and what they want me to do, just to blend both of those systems and help this defense take a step forward.”

Whether any of this means anything will ultimately be up to Street because in Atlanta he was merely a practice squad player when last season began. At least his background suggests it can work.

Neville Gallimore's speed

The system fit isn't as historical or detailed for Gallimore but he has been more accomplished the last few years with 12 starts in 2024-25 and 26 for his six seasons.

Gallimore is known for excellent speed, as he ran a 4.79-second 40-yard dash at the combine in 2020. That was top 23% of all interior defensive linemen at combines.

Yet, in the NFL he wound up with a 3-4 base defense every year he was in the league until last season with the Colts. He hit or matched career highs for tackles (83), tackles for loss (4), sacks (3 1/2) and pressures (9).

This scheme could give him the chance to use his experience with taking on blockers with the read-and-react 3-4 and use the speed he has like he got to do last year with the Colts.

"Obviously, I've been blessed to have the speed, but I feel like I try my best to take advantage of that," Gallimore said. "So, I'm the kind of guy, I don't necessarily speak on it, but it's evident. I want to make sure I try to be around the ball as much as possible.

"I feel like the way to show your team, show your defense, show the guys you care about is when you're a big dude that can do his job in the front, but there's a guy that's going to run 20, 30 yards down the field, whatever may be to make plays. And that's how I take pride in doing that.”

Preferably, as a defensive lineman he's using that speed going up field the other way to make those tackles.

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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.