Two overlooked Bears could play pivotal roles in Dennis Allen's defense

If there's one positive thing to say about Matt Eberflus' time as head coach of the Chicago Bears, it's that he ran a good defense. Not great, but good. His scheme was the classic 'bend but don't break' style of football, wherein allowing an opponent to advance into the redzone but holding them to a field goal was considered a win.

This is made clear in a recent ranking from Pro Football Focus. Lauren Gray, an analyst for PFF, studied data to find the top five NFL red-zone offenses and defenses in 2024, and the Bears' defense came in at No. 3. Two players that Gray highlighted in this article should pique the interest of Bears fans: the much-maligned duo of Tyrique Stevenson and Tremaine Edmunds.

Gray writes, "Tyrique Stevenson ranked fourth among cornerbacks in red-zone PFF coverage grade (83.4) after allowing five catches across 13 targets for 38 yards. Three of those went for touchdowns, but he also dropped an interception and broke up three other passes. Tremaine Edmunds (75.2 PFF coverage grade) surrendered three catches across eight targets for 32 yards. He picked off a pass and forced two incompletions, allowing only a 10.4 NFL passer rating in the red zone to rank second among all defenders."

Stevenson may be a bit boom-or-bust in the redzone, but defensive backs coach Al Harris, one of the most highly regarded position coaches in the NFL, should be able to level him out and find consistency in this area. He already has the sticky coverage; now, Stevenson just needs to learn when to take risks and when to play it safe.

As for Edmunds, the disrespect he gets from Bears fans simply doesn't align with reality. Is Edmunds among the NFL's most overpaid players? Sure, but he remains one of the better linebackers in the league, landing at No. 6 overall in an ESPN ranking of linebackers. His impressive stature and athleticism make him a nightmare for quarterbacks in the redzone, erasing a huge swath of passing lanes around him. As Gray noted, his 10.4 NFL passer rating allowed in the redzone is second best among all defenders.

Both defenders are entering what could be their last season with the Bears, given their contracts. If they want to remain in Chicago, they're going to need career years in 2025, and early returns from training camp suggest that that's exactly what they'll have in store. Indeed, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has said that he anticipates Edmunds "being an exceptional playmaker" in 2025.

If they can retain their elite playmaking ability in the redzone, both Edmunds and Stevenson should be key in helping Dennis Allen bring Chicago's defense from 'bend but don't break' back to being true Monsters of the Midway.

Tremaine Edmund — Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

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