Bear Digest

Bears 2024 Training Camp Preview: Linebackers Look for Even More Takeaways

Linebackers T.J. Edwards and especially Tremaine Edmunds, look to start producing takeaways faster than in their first Bears season.

Gene Chamberlain

Tremaine Edmunds wraps up Jerome Ford for the tackle last season. Edmunds figures to up his tackle totals in Year 2.
Tremaine Edmunds wraps up Jerome Ford for the tackle last season. Edmunds figures to up his tackle totals in Year 2. / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
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The Bears couldn't complain about the net effect of linebacker change last year after they spent $91 million on it in free agency.

They believe they can squeeze even more out of T.J. Edward and naturally will get even more from middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.

Familiarity makes it possible.

"I think anytime you're new to something it takes a little time to get adjusted," Edmunds said. "That's no excuse there—that's just the reality of it."

Edmunds' career-high four interceptions tied for the team lead but it took him about half the season to get some traction. Missing all of preseason and much of training camp made familiarity even more difficult for him to achieve.

"That's not my first time being in that position," Edmunds said.

The other would have ben his rookie year.

"The guys around me made it 10 times easier," he said of Bears defensive teammates. "Nothing's easy in the league but when you have guys doing the same thing, you can't make an excuse."

Edwards was in his first year in the scheme and turned in what might have been a Pro Bowl season were it not for the fact this honor is usually bestowed upon the same people every year by the voters. Then again, Edwards didn't miss all of the on-field preparation leading up to the last two weeks before the opener with Green Bay.

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"It wasn’t just me—a lot of guys' first time there," Edmunds said. "So we all was learning something. We all was going through some of the same things. We all went through adversity together as a team. We stayed together. Those guys trusted in me, I trusted in those guys and ultimately we went out there and wanted to win."

So it's Edmunds' belief it's going to be better for him, and for the whole defense from the outset.

"Each and every day no matter if it went good, good or no matter if it went bad, we came out the next day wanting to get better," Edmunds said. "When you have a team with that mindset, sky's the limit. That's our mindset. That's my mindset. Good or bad, I'm always going to come back ready to get better."

Considering Edmunds and Edwards were involved in the same number of takeaway numbers—six counting their interceptions, fumble recoveries and fumbles forced—and neither had ever been close to that number in their previous seasons, the scheme combines with their talent to make a really big total of takeaways seem possible.

A second year in the defense and assumed better health in training camp could mean an even bigger team total overall for takeaways than last year, when the Bears were tied for fifth with 28.

"They did a nice job of it last year, so I feel like it's just something that they both want to improve on," linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi said.

It's only natural for the duo to expect plenty more interceptions because they had only one combined before Nov. 19, then six more until season's end as they got more familiar with the scheme and later enjoyed the advantage of a big pass rush up front by Montez Sweat.

"I think takeaways in this league is everything," Edwards said. "So continuing to do that."

In Edwards' case, going back to Philadelphia, he would appear to be peaking as a player who came into the league without draft pedigree.

"But I do know at the linebacker position, the good ones, the ones who are there year-in and year-out, they do it consistently," Edwards said. "They have great years consistently, so I think I have put a couple together. But I'm ready to keep stacking and trying to add on to that for sure."

Edmunds has always been highly regarded and last year's slow start represented something new.

"Good or bad, I'm always going to come back ready to get better," Edmunds said.

There's plenty of room for that improvement, and it goes for both players even though several websites have rated both consistently among the top 15 to 20 linebackers in the league.

Bears Linebacker Outlook

Starters: No. 53 T.J. Edwards (weakside), No. 49 Tremaine Edmunds (middle), No. 57 Jack Sanborn (strongside).

Backups: No. 45 Amen Ogbongbemiga, No. 44 Noah Sewell.

Roster Hopefuls: No. 47 Micah Baskerville, No. 43 Paul Moala, No. 50 Carl Jones Jr.

Strengths: Speed and their reach, especially in pass coverage. Eight interceptions by the top three linebackers is a good amount and for a team that had so few early picks last year it's a remarkable total. They might be one of the top three pass coverage groups in the league. Their experience and overall depth is good considering they play mostly with two linebackers and Sanborn has been a starter at middle linebacker in the past.

Weaknesses: Tackle ability needs to be better considering they have a couple of big linebackers who should be able to deliver a load on ball carriers. Edmunds is 250 pounds and Edwards 242. Yet Sportradar had Edmunds at 10.3% missed tackle rate, his second highest total and worst since 2018.  Edwards' 7.7% missed was his second-highest percentage and worst since 2020. Sanborn played strongside for the first time and missed at a 14.5% rate. He was at 4.5% in his rookie year. Another possible problem is depth beyond Sanborn. Sewell has played only 27 downs of defense. Ogbongbemiga has been in for only 129 downs of defense in his three seasons and his only two starts came in 2021. He also is coming over to a 4-3 from a 3-4 system. The rest of the linebackers, besides Baskerville, essentially are rookies. And Baskerville is undersized and spent much of his rookie year with the practice squad. They're also not overly effective blitzers and need to improve here on the few downs when they do blitz.

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Gene Chamberlain

GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher 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.