Bear Digest

DeMarcus Walker's Pass Rush Versatility Now On Full Display

Tracking the Bears at Camp: The Bears are moving DeMarcus Walker inside to tackle on some pass rush situations after they had talked about doing it last year but didn't.

Gene Chamberlain

Bears edge rusher DeMarcus Walker has been getting snaps as an interior pass rusher, as well.
Bears edge rusher DeMarcus Walker has been getting snaps as an interior pass rusher, as well. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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Caleb Williams and the Bears offense might be a completely new attack with many new players but the defense has its new twists in practices, as well.

In the first few practices, right defensive end DeMarcus Walker began shifting inside to defensive tackle or the 3-technique for pass rush downs.

"I think it's always good," Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. "He's an effective guy in there, and he can go in or go out. So when you have that versatility, you can match him up on different people.

"Some (defensive linemen) you can't do that. Some (ends) aren't very good when they go in there and you can't match them up, which is always good when you get a long player in there, like (Gervon) Dexter, against a guard or a center. That's always a good matchup."

This was an advantage Walker was said to have last year but they also felt defensive tackle Justin Jones was at his best at 3-technique. So they didn't want to alter the scheme.

Now the issue with the defensive line remains whether they should obtain another defensive end to pass rush.

Walker realizes they need the complement on the opposite side from Montez Sweat, whether he adds it or someone else does.

"Obviously when Tez came in, he did demand a lot of attention, especially when he started creating havoc," Walker said. "Teams are sliding to him and chipping him, that freed me up.

"So I've got to complement that and continue working. Can't put it all on him; I've got to show up to where obviously you’ve got to make the OC make a decision."

It could be Walker providing it if they don't sign someone, because he feels he can be a different player in Year 2 with the scheme than last year.

He made some technique improvements by attending a defensive line summit and listening to what other league players said about rushing the passer.

"I'm not gonna lie to you guys," he told media. "Cam Jordan, I learned a lot from him. Him and I have similar body types. More of a power guy. That's something I needed to pick his brain and understand.

"Even the details I learned from Maxx Crosby, that definitely motivated me leaving Vegas to come back here and come share what I know and apply it as well."

Walker also reports in good shape and understanding what the Matt Eberflus HITS principle is all about.

Last year he missed most of the offseason work and it held him back for the start. He finished with 3 1/2 sacks, half the total he had in his one year with Tennessee.

Now, he thinks he can add a potent rush, from the inside or outside.

"It's all on me," Walker said. "If I'm hot outside, (defensive line coach) Travis (Smith) will keep me outside. We've got great edge rushers—Dominique Robinson, Jacob Martin, a lot of guys to where they can rush outside."

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Great might be stretching it. Robinson has two sacks in two years. Martin has 18 sacks in three years.

"You get those guys on the field, too, and then push me inside, you continue putting pressure on the quarterback playing selfless football," Walker said.

Or maybe Austin Booker or an edge rusher yet to be signed does it and Walker slides inside with Gervon Dexter.

Day 3 Practice Highlights

It was one of Caleb Williams' most complete practices as he hit on a variety of passes during seven-on-seven and full-squad scrimmage and led a successful two-minute drive to a long Cairo Santos field goal. Completions to each of his top wide receivers--DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen--got the offense into range for the field goal.

They confused media members who were watching by going for a fourth down on the drive, converting with a throw to DJ Moore, then sending Santos out right afterward for the winning field goal. The clock was running, but it wasn't the game clock on the scrimmage. It was a different clock.

"Again, you're on a time constraint now with these first four practices where you have to be under the two-hour mark," Eberflus said. "So that's why we cut it short and sent Cairo out there."

Several plays that might have been sacks with pads on in a game setting were allowed to continue as Williams moved out of the pocket to throw. On one, he hit Rome Odunze for a deep gain, possibly even a touchdown in a game if play had been able to continue. On another, Moore suffered a rare drop after he came wide open on the extended play.

Williams also continued to

Lining Up

Linebacker Noah Sewell and return man Nsimba Webster joined the group of players sidelined with minor injuries the Bears do not want to disclose. Linebacker T.J. Edwards continued missing some of team practice, although he's able to go through individual drills and got some team plays. Left tackle Braxton Jones continued to alternate with Larry Borom as he gets over an injury. Tight end Gerald Everett began practicing for the first time and tight end Marcedes Lewis is being worked in slowly after he was one of the late signees.

The punt returners worked again but this time Velus Jones Jr. was lined up as one of the possible returners, as was Rome Odunze. Jones wasn't in the line the last time they did punt return work. Jones was called upon to field two short punts and he let both hit the new, beautiful Bermuda grass on the practice field at Halas Hall. It's the same sort of turf they put in at Soldier Field and solved all of the stadium's past turf problems.

Ryan Bates moved back in with the first team at center after Coleman Shelton had a day doing it. Eberflus said this battle is only beginning and no resolution will come about soon.

“I think you just let it go through," Eberflus said. "Let it go through the process.

"I told the guys today, you make the team or you make your position in pads. It's hard to evaluate guys when we're out here and not in pads. The pass protection is hard. The pass rush is hard to really evaluate if a guy can bore around the corner or if he can really protect against the bull rush. We put limits on the guys a little bit–what they can and can not do–so they don’t have injury while we're in shells. You have to because everyone has got to stay on their feet. But once we get pads on, they have to stay on their feet, but they are able to bull and do different things and O-line can do their snatch and all that stuff."

Gaining an Edge?

Take that last answer Eberflus gave about the center position and apply it to the defensive side if you're wondering when they'd bring in another edge rusher if needed. They're going to want to see the edge rushers going against offensive linemen wearing pads before they make any judgment about adding an edge.

The first padded practice does not happen until Friday.

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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.