Bear Digest

Why linebacker rates so low among Bears needs for this draft

Even with T.J. Edwards in the last year of his contract and with backups who have barely played defense in NFL games, the Bears seem disinterested in better linebackers for this draft class.
Gene Chamberlain|
Kansas State's Dylan Edwards is tackled by Oklahoma State linebacker Nick Martin, a defensive player on the Bears' radar.
Kansas State's Dylan Edwards is tackled by Oklahoma State linebacker Nick Martin, a defensive player on the Bears' radar. | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Considering the two positions most associated with the long Chicago Bears history have been running back and linebacker, it's somewhat surprising only one name among linebackers has shown up on their radar for draft visits.

The linebacker was Nick Martin, and the Oklahoma State player is unlikely to generate a huge amount of excitement considering he's never been ranked higher than a fourth-rounder by NFL Mock Draft Data Base's big board and currently is listed as sixth-round material. Listed shorter than 6 feet tall, lack of predraft momentum is understandable.

The Bears have reasons to need linebackers, yet their lack of enthusiasm now for this position is entirely understandable.

They could use one because T.J. Edwards is in the last year of his contract and turns 30 in 2026, they lost Jack Sanborn to Dallas in free agency, Tremaine Edmunds' contract has an out after the 2025 season and the only backups who have played downs for them are Noah Sewell and Amen Ogbongbemiga—and they've combined for 47 total defensive plays in Chicago.

Nevertheless, looking at other positions only makes sense first and drafting someone in Rounds 5 or 7  is really the only way to go now for them.

Here's why it makes sense for the Bears to ignore their "legacy" in a manner of speaking, and turn their back on linebackers for now.

1. Free agency is better

Why pursue a linebacker in the draft earlier than you need them when an effective, proven player could be available at a nominal price? The draft almost always is more cost efficient but maybe not so much at linebacker now.

The highest free agent prices this year for inside linebackers—not to be confused with edge players, who are actually defensive linemen—are Zack Baun at $17 million, Jamien Sherwood and Nick Bolton at $15 million

Beyond that, there have been only two other contracts signed over 10 million a year this year for linebackers and that's for Dre Greenlaw and Terrel Bernard, at $10.5 million each per year.

There have been 16 signed between $9.5 million and $2.5 million this year alone, according to Spotrac.com.

The marketplace for linebackers is depressed like it had been for running backs until this year, and finding players at the position after this season shouldn't be difficult if the Bears wanted to do it.

Why waste draft picks when buying one for the going rate hurts no one's salary cap, especially when players at other positions are needed and the draft supplies them for less cost?

Even if the Bears decided to cut Tremaine Edmunds after this season for cap purposes, they could easily find a talented player at this position in free agency for a less expensive rate than they paid to sign him. Edmunds remains the third-highest paid linebacker and his contract came in 2023, which further displays how little they're paying players at this position. At positions like defensive end, cornerback, quarterback and receiver, the rate seems to go up by the second. At positions like linebacker, it's going down or staying the same.

2. The scheme fit

It seems like Edmunds would be a good fit for any scheme as a speed linebacker with good size but it's never a given.

Matt Eberflus doesn't ask the same thing from linebackers that Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen does, but they do have their moments of playing zone coverage in either scheme and that should be Edmunds' wheelhouse.

Instead of rushing in and wasting a pick on a linebacker, it might be better to play a season in Allen's scheme when they know Edmunds' only issue is cost.

They can try to determine if Edwards warrants another contract, although at age 30 next year they might see a short-term deal as their aim. Maybe they'd just want to extend Edwards, too. At 30, he's six years younger than Demario Edwards and he's still playing for the Saints as a starter even after Allen left their team.

3. Draft placement

The Bears expect to improve this year. They should. The talent supply is there and the coaching staff looks more competent. Only the quarterback seems like their real question mark, and whether he's quick to pick up the new offense.

Chicago drafts this year in the top 10. The Bears drafted last year in the top 10. The year before they traded away the top pick and still picked in the top 10.

The only linebacker drafted in Round 1 in 2023 was Jack Campbell and he didn't go until 18th. No actual linebacker was drafted last year until Edgerrin Cooper at No. 45 by the Packers in Round 2.

When the Bears are picking later in Round 1, then they can look at using their first pick for a linebacker. The position isn't deemed worthy of such an early pick now with passing at a premium in the game.

This could change with running backs now coming back into importance, but it hasn't yet. When the Bears are one of the better teams, they'll be placed better in the draft to take a linebacker.

Until then, free agency or later rounds look like better options.

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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.