How This Bears Player Could Transform the Giants' Run Defense

The Giants have not been stout against the run, and if they had a chance to get this linebacker from the Bears for this week's game, it could be just what the doctor ordered.

Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The New York Giants have lost the last three games, and in those contests, there has been a common thread: the run defense has been bad.

There is a hole at the second level of this defense. The Giants clearly are missing another high-level piece on the second level of the defense.

The loss of three-year veteran Micah McFadden really hurt this defense when you consider that the front office did not look to upgrade the position in the offseason or bring back Isaiah Simmons, who was an athletic backup in 2024. 

They face Chicago this week, a team that has rushed for over 220 yards in two of the past three weeks, including 283 yards against Cincinnati last week.

The Bears hope to have D’Andre Swift back after he missed last week with an injury. He is the home run hitter in the backfield.

The Giants need another guy capable of stuffing the run at the second level, which is why if they could get him, Chicago’s inside linebacker, Tremaine Edmunds, would be a good fit for the run defense this week. 

Size and athleticism

The first thing you realize about Edmunds is that he is not your prototypical new-era linebacker. He has the size of the linebackers that used to terrorize offenses in the 1990s and 2000s.

He reminds you of the Brian Urlacher days. That combination of size and speed neutralized many run games while in pass coverage.

Bobby Okereke is not small, but he doesn't have Edmunds' size. The other interior linebackers are smaller than Okereke. The added beef without sacrificing speed would be welcomed.

Chicago Bears middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds | David Banks-Imagn Images

Football Instincts

Edmunds played on the offensive side of the ball in high school. He was a tight end, so understanding the game from both sides helps tremendously. Because of his offensive experience, he can predict offensive movements, which allows him to recognize where to strike.

That is why he is so quick to diagnose a play. It might look like he is guessing at times, but he understands where his run fits are supposed to be based on the offense's action.

A step quicker to the ball carrier can help you avoid being blocked by a climbing lineman and hit the ball carrier closer to the line of scrimmage. Melding his instincts with Okereke's would form an incredibly efficient and effective duo. 

Positional Fit

The Shane Bowen defense likes to feature two linebackers, so those linebackers must be dynamic. They must take proper run fits, clean up guesses from the front line, and make it easy for secondary support to come up and make tackles.

Edmunds will do all of those things, and he will cover his area well enough. In the previous two seasons, this defense found success when Micah McFadden was next to Okereke. They were fast-flowing and could plug interior gaps as well as run sideline to sideline.

That is what you will get with Edmunds, except he is a much surer tackler than McFadden, and he brings more size and physicality, so he can take on and shed blockers better.

On top of all the things he brings, he would take those things away from the Bears, who get very pedestrian up the middle without him.

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