Bear Digest

The perplexing Bears defensive omission made by Ben Johnson

Bears coach Ben Johnson discussed his team's defense and in it left out one important player when it came to a critical area.
Gene Chamberlain|
Jared Goff stands in and fires at Soldier Field two years ago as the Bears pass rush closes in.
Jared Goff stands in and fires at Soldier Field two years ago as the Bears pass rush closes in. | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Perhaps it was an error of omission. Perhaps not.

It's safe to wonder if one of the positions Ben Johnson might think the Bears need to pursue in the draft or free agency is edge rusher.

They do have one edge rusher who makes more money than any Chicago Bears player but Johnson didn't mention him when assessing his new team's impressive defensive talent while talking privately on the record with reporters at what the Bears labeled a "fireside chat" although it was without the fireplace.

In fact, Johnson went a bit beyond not mentioning Montez Sweat.

"The two linebackers are excellent ballplayers," Johnson said. "They're quick to diagnose and react.

"And up front, that defensive line, there might not be as much star power right now, but collectively, they made it really difficult to run the football against. This year what was a little different than 2023 was (Andrew) Billings being out. Him being out, we could feel that when we played Chicago."

Lacking star power?

If that's the case, they might need to rethink that $25 million a year spent for Sweat.

In 2024, there's no denying Sweat struggled and had just 5 1/2 sacks.

However, it's always possible Johnson just had a slip of the tongue because it was against his own quarterback, Jared Goff, that Sweat had a huge impact in 2023. Those should have been very vivid memories still fresh of the devastation Sweat dealt out to the Lions.

Sweat sacked Goff in both games against the Lion in 2023,, including one rather violent hit. He also had five quarterback hits and a season-high four against Goff in the second game that the Bears won 28-13. In that second game, Sweat had a career-high six pressures, according to Stathead/Pro Football Reference pressure stats. Their pressure statistics tend to be less "generous" than Pro Football Focus.

Tackle Penei Sewell shut down Sweat twice this season, so perhaps that dimmed Johnson's memory a bit. In fact, Sweat had one tackle in the first game with the Lions. Sweat made four tackles in the second game but no sacks and only one pressure, but the Bears were flattened 34-17.

Sweat better be star power, but Johnson is definitely right about the need for more of it.

A defensive line can't survive on one edge rusher and a surprising defensive tackle like Andrew Billings alone—particularly when Billings was out injured half the 2024 season.

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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.