Bear Digest

Bolstering Defensive Front Depends on Free Agency

The Bears may need to fortify their defensive front in the draft because of the potential loss of depth with Nick Williams and Roy Robertson-Harris free agents

Gene Chamberlain

Bolstering Defensive Front Depends on Free Agency
Bolstering Defensive Front Depends on Free Agency /

The foundation for the Bears defense is a three-man line in the base package and four-man rush on passing downs, and it's been years since they've really been desperate to add a player.

They've brought in some players, but it has been more of a maintenance or development project than looking for an ace.

This is because their big duo anchoring the middle and providing a push have been in place and dominant since back to the John Fox era, Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman.

Last year should have have been enough to remind everyone what can happen when they're without one of those two defensive linemen for an extended period, as Hicks' absence decimated the defense.

They dropped off almost 30 yards a game at stopping the run without Hicks, and even though they made up some of the pass rush with Nick Williams it wasn't the same type of rush.

To say Williams benefited from the attention being focused on Khalil Mack would be putting it mildly. Hicks commands double teams himself barreling up the middle and there's no way to devote three guys to Mack then.

The same type of thing happened to the Bears in 2016 when they lost Goldman for 10 games with a bad ankle injury.

Bilial Nichols made an immediate impact in 2018 when they added him but he isn't yet the physical force Hicks and Goldman can be. And he was injured last year too.

Now they face Williams leaving in free agency, and possibly Roy Robertson-Harris too, a real success story as a player who switched from linebacker, put on weight and learned to make plays on the defensvie line.

So while everyone is screaming and hollering for the Bears to draft offensive linemen, defensive backs, a quarterback, a tight end, anyone with a real knowledge of the game realizes they have to take the best athlete available. If it's an interior defensive lineman, you can't go wrong adding impact guys.

On the surface, the draft this year doesn't look like last year when 10 of the first-round picks were defensive linemen.

Considering what the Bears look for at the defensive line spot, it's possible to find it later in Round 2 or 4 anyway.

The Bears like to take guys who have nose tackle size and play them at defensive end at the 5-technique position. Hicks is the perfect example. It seemed a waste for them to put a guy so big at 5-technique when he came from the Patriots, but he's so good at rushing the passer and penetrating that they're able to use him away from the nose and then even in a 3-technique position in pass-rushing situations.

So if a defensive lineman is a big enough 3-technique or a quick nose, they could wind up in Chicago at one of the two defensive end spots in the thre e-man line. They need to be stout enough to handle the run because the edges are pass rushers or will drop in coverage, so someone below 300 pounds usually isn't going to fit the spot.

The nose in Chicago doesn't play directly over the center so he doesn't have to be a Vince Wilfork or Ted Washington 350-pound plug, although this can't hurt. It's required to have strength and agility in order to both maintain gap integrity but also make plays when necessary.

Here are some of the potential fits in the draft after the first round for the Bears based on scouting reports from ESPN, Draftnetwork.com and Walterfootball.com. These are players more likely to go from Round 2 and later since the Bears don't draft until 43 in Round 2.

Even then, the Bears would be more likely to look at other positions due to needs unless someone with ridiculous skills drops in their laps.

Rashard Lawrence

LSU's 6-3, 317-pounder makes plays and shows the quickness needed to rush out of an interior spot in the 3-4. Fits more as the 5-technique. He was particularly dominant against Alabama in a big win and might be too highly coveted for the Bears to get later in the draft.

Davon Hamilton

Ohio State's 6-4, 310-pounder fits as an ideal size 5-technique or even the interior rusher in pass rushing situations. He gets to the quarterback and had six sacks his final season. Projections are he runs a 5.2-second 40, which isn't bad from an interior lineman.

Jordan Elliott

Missouri's 6-4, 315-pounder is an ideal defensive end size for the Bears and also has shown skills required in their scheme because he can get into a gap but also play stout. His 5 1/2 sacks over the last two years shows that besides driving back the herd, he can also get involved in making the play like Bears defensive linemen must do.

Josiah Coatney

Mississippi defensive lineman who is Pretty similar in size to Hicks at 6-4, 325, but was thought of as run-stuffing nose in college. However, his ability to be active on the line and make the play indicates he might be better suited to end in the 3-4. He made a ridiculous 128 tackles his sophomore and junior seasons before tailing off to 46 as a senior. Another indicatione he's more than a nose is he had 6 1/2 sacks in his last three seasons despite being entrusted more with playing the run.

Leki Fotu

Utah's interior lineman is projected as a nose by many in the NFL because he didn't produce enough quarterback heat last season. At 6-5, 335, he is able to make plays and could be a 1-technique nose like Goldman is for the Bears.

Tyler Clark

Georgia defensive lineman who at 6-4, 300 is big enough but also just fast enough to be the 5-technique while also rushing as a 3-technique. Showed pass rush ability with six sacks in three seasons.

Naquan Jones

Michigan State's defensive tackle from Evanston has the size to be either position on the Bears front at 6-4, 339, and flashed the speed for it with 4 1/2 tackles for loss and two sacks as a junior, but then tailed off and seemed to slow down a bit last year.

Raequan Williams

The other defensive front force for Michigan State who was able to be big play maker in 2018 with 10 1/2 tackles for loss and two sacks. He had 11 1/2 sacks over the course of a stellar career. At 6-4, 300, would be the size of most Bears defensive ends.

Benito Jones

Has a real knack for disruption even though he's not an ideal size fit height-wise in the Bears' defense at 6-1, 326. The Draftnetwork.com compares him in size and playing style to Daylon Mack, who suffered a knee injury last year as a Ravens rookie.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

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