Bear Digest

When the Bears Could Pursue an Edge Rusher Becomes More Clear

Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington will pay particular attention to practices after Wednesday's off day because the time is short for coming up with a free agent edge alternative.

Gene Chamberlain

Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington spoke Tuesday about edge rushers and the first three padded practices will be big in determining if they have sufficient help at the position.
Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington spoke Tuesday about edge rushers and the first three padded practices will be big in determining if they have sufficient help at the position. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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It's not difficult to derive a timetable for a possible Bears decision on pursuing a contract with a free agent edge rusher.

Defensive coordinator Eric Washington provided a possible one, combined with GM Ryan Poles' comment on the situation when training camp started. 

Poles had said during training camp's opening press conference that he wants to see his edge rushers going in padded practices first.

"We saw some really encouraging things during OTAs," Poles said. "But we all know this game is played in full pads, so we want to see that process through."

That all starts on Friday. The Bears are off on Wednesday and on Thursday they resume practice without pads for one day.

Washington on Tuesday while speaking about rookie Austin Booker's development that so far they haven't really had a good look at any of the pass rushers.

"Yesterday (Monday) was really the first day that we can kind of turn up the pass rush a little bit because we've been kind of working the tempo if you will," Washington said.

Washington believes it will take more than one padded practice on Friday for the Bears to make a decision.

"Yeah, well, as far as some of the guys that we're really evaluating, and just really the entire group, the first day won't make or break that. I mean, it just won't.

"It's been a long time since this group has played tackle football. And so the first day won't make or break it. But after the first two or three practices, I'll have a pretty good sense of where the group is. And also, we can identity where we need to kind of grow and who needs what specific work and what we need to focus and hone on in terms of trying to develop the depth. So I'm not making any absolute statements after the first two or three days but we want to do is just make sure we know what we need to do as a staff to develop the depth that we believe we have."

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Judging by his statement, it would be sometime early next week before they might know enough about the pass rushers to know if they must pursue one.

Booker has worked in with the first team some in practices, but that's the way the Bears run their defensive line. It's a rotation and he gets his chance in it.

"He's competing out there and he's competing to win," Washington said of Booker. "He's got one objective in mind and that's to put himself in position to hit the quarterback. So I'm really excited to see that."

Technique Booker displayed has Washington most excited.

"His hand usage, his ability to counter, and with a pass rusher especially a young player, it's just a mindset," Washington said.

The Bears have one other edge rusher who hasn't generated much talk but has had positive traits. That's Jacob Martin, the former Colts-Jets-Texans-Broncos-Texans-Seahawks edge rusher who has 18 career sacks.

"Jacob, great speed, great speed and quickness," Washington said. "Very athletic. He's an excellent space player. But he's really sturdy at the point of attack.

"Those types of things you really need to have. I mean, we can anticipate his role being as a three-down defender. So, so far as a right defensive end, he's doing a nice job. And then the other thing with him is just the way that he comes out early to practice every day by himself and he just starts to mentally tune himself up to go out and put forth the kind of practice he wants to have to establish himself as the kind of rusher we need him to be."

Former Bears edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue would have to be the favorite if they chose to pursue an edge from among free agents. Jets free agent Carl Lawson would be another possible player to consider.

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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.