Bears defense projected to be near the bottom again

[The Galloping Ghost]

When you compare Roquan and Morrow to Edmunds and Edwards, you find that Roquan is clearly superior and Edwards is slightly superior. The net is a slight downgrade for the Bears. Take a look:

Roquan Smith, career 2018 through 2022

Games Ints Sacks tackles solo TFL
78 , 8, 18.5, 693, 451, 54


Tremaine Edmunds career 2018 through 2022

Games Ints Sacks tackles solo TFL
74 , 5 , 6.5, 565, 359, 32

Comparing Morrow to Edwards, looking at 2022, you find Edwards had more tackles and sacks and Morrow had more Ints and TFL. Let's still give the nod to Edwards, but not anywhere near as clear as the difference between Roquan and Tremaine. And Smith/Edmunds are far more important in the equation.

So please deal with reality and not what we as fans might just be hoping.

Just posting stats is the absolute worst way to compare players. Watch them play.

Edmunds was better than Smith last year. Better in coverage and had one of the lowest missed tackle rates in the NFL. Smith has been better over their careers, but he has never really improved. He has been a very good(if very over rated) linebacker for his whole career. Edmunds was bad early and steadied improved until having an excellent season last year.

So if we going by where they are right now, Edmunds is at least as good and in my opinion better, and he can still get better. Edwards is WAY better than Morrow. Sanborn was very good and as a 3rd linebacker is fine, Sewell has an intriguing skill set as well.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

Idk. I’m gonna say top 15. We may have the best lbers in the nfc. That group was terrible after the roquan trade.

 

[napo55]

Just posting stats is the absolute worst way to compare players. Watch them play.

Edmunds was better than Smith last year. Better in coverage and had one of the lowest missed tackle rates in the NFL. Smith has been better over their careers, but he has never really improved. He has been a very good(if very over rated) linebacker for his whole career. Edmunds was bad early and steadied improved until having an excellent season last year.

So if we going by where they are right now, Edmunds is at least as good and in my opinion better, and he can still get better. Edwards is WAY better than Morrow. Sanborn was very good and as a 3rd linebacker is fine, Sewell has an intriguing skill set as well.

I understand fans want the Bears to be good. I do too. But saying Edmunds is better than Roquan is just not reality. So let's agree to disagree.

 

[JordanSigler]

We've spent 5 of the last 7 top 75 picks on defense since Poles has arrived. Our one lone big splash signing was on defense. Most of the focus has been on defense since Everflus arrival. To rank them 29th is understandable from the outside, but I'd be pissed if allocated the assets we have and end up 29th.

With that said, I don't expect to be that low. The team is likely to add another veteran pass rusher or two. I also think our DLineman rookies are better prospects than they've been graded out as. I expect Gordon and Brisker to take a step up, especially as the front 7 improves. Our secondary afterall played solidly in passing defense considering they were being asked to do alot in run support.

I think they will end up ranked around the low 20s in Yards allowed (28th Last year).I still expect around a 25th or worse ranked rushing defense (31st last year), but a top 15 passing defense (18th last year).

Kind of. But you have to keep in mind, via trades and the draft, Poles has spent the equivalent to three 1st round picks on the offense. Zero on defense.

 

[JordanSigler]

Bears were, I believe, 2nd worst in the NFL in rush yards allowed per game last year (worst was Houston). The bar for improvement is pretty low.

Glad the Bears signed Rasheed Green huh?

 

[run and shoot]

Edmunds is no improvment over Roquan. They came into the league the same year and Smith has more tackles, ints, and many more sacks. Check the stats .
Edwards could be an improvement.
Gipson and Robinson were big disappointments and until they show some ability to rush the passer, this will be the weak link of the defense.

It will all be on Field's shoulders, and maybe an impoved offense can make up for the defensive failings.

Then if it's all on JF that means shootouts almost every game

 

[vabearsfan15]

Kind of. But you have to keep in mind, via trades and the draft, Poles has spent the equivalent to three 1st round picks on the offense. Zero on defense.

Yeah, but I'm sure Poles never trades the #32 pick for Claypool if he knew it would be that high. And then accepting Moore as a 1st was essentially to fix the Claypool mistake. The point is that he is not prioritizing offense. Just him fixing his mistake of putting it on the backburner

 

[Nelly]

Yeah, but I'm sure Poles never trades the #32 pick for Claypool if he knew it would be that high. And then accepting Moore as a 1st was essentially to fix the Claypool mistake. The point is that he is not prioritizing offense. Just him fixing his mistake of putting it on the backburner

Even when he made the trade it still wasn't enough at the WR position. You had Mooney, Claypool and no one else who ideally belonged on the field if you wanted to have an upper echelon offense. Regardless of the Claypool trade we were always going to need more there. So i totally disagree that trading for Moore was in any way "to fix the Claypool mistake."

 

[Nuremberg Bear]

I don't get it.
'Poles need to fix the offense'
After: 'Defense sucks'

Can some people just sit down and relax and enjoy a new GM who is doing his job? And in first time of my life, he started with the offense. Wasn't that on a wish list?

 

[BornAnAngryBearsFan]

I don't get it.
'Poles need to fix the offense'
After: 'Defense sucks'

Can some people just sit down and relax and enjoy a new GM who is doing his job? And in first time of my life, he started with the offense. Wasn't that on a wish list?

You're expecting a lot, from this crowd.

 

[mecha]

I don't get it.
'Poles need to fix the offense'
After: 'Defense sucks'

Can some people just sit down and relax and enjoy a new GM who is doing his job? And in first time of my life, he started with the offense. Wasn't that on a wish list?

this is what rattles around in my head when I read this shit. also DJ Moore fixing Claypool the way the deal was done was totally good. you know why? because the Bears got other shit in the deal, they didn't have to give away shit like Pace used to do. in a perfect world the Bears will have 2 good receivers between Moore and Claypool and a lot of other dudes to contribute.

hell wasn't built in a day. retooling a rotted out team doesn't take 2 offseasons to fix (really more like 1.5 due to lack of capital last year, also courtesy of dickhead Pace). if the Bears have dramatic improvement this year then you can crown Poles, otherwise I'm in the camp that thinks he's doing good business unlike his predecessor.

 

[hebs]

Sadly Tremaine Edmunds is more name recognition than production. Roquan nearly doubled all of Tremaine's stats in 2022.

I have a feeling he will be average in this defense and will only occasionally make a splash play every 4 games or so. (Come on Flus... prove me wrong!)

I'm not sure Dexter or Pickens start as rookies on a good team, but they will probably get a lot of playing time on the Bears this year. I suspect one or both will hit a wall 3/4's of the way through the season.

Run defense should be improved, which should elevate the overall production of the defense as a unit. The expected offensive improvements should also take snaps away from the defense which will help protect it.

If they overachieve... they'll be top 15. (11-15)

Otherwise I'm saying between 16-22.

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

That would be pretty disappointing with a defensive guru hc and the large investment in linebacker position

 

[Bearly]

Poles has invested heavily in the Defense over the last 2 draft and this FA class. We better start seeing improvement or someones seat will be getting warm

True, but from this draft, he used #1 picks on WR and OT and a #2 on another WR before taking 3 D players. Followed that up with 2 more O players in 4 that actually have a shot to contribute early.

 

[Bearly]

Just posting stats is the absolute worst way to compare players. Watch them play.

Edmunds was better than Smith last year. Better in coverage and had one of the lowest missed tackle rates in the NFL. Smith has been better over their careers, but he has never really improved. He has been a very good(if very over rated) linebacker for his whole career. Edmunds was bad early and steadied improved until having an excellent season last year.

So if we going by where they are right now, Edmunds is at least as good and in my opinion better, and he can still get better. Edwards is WAY better than Morrow. Sanborn was very good and as a 3rd linebacker is fine, Sewell has an intriguing skill set as well.

I liked but don't think Edmunds is 'better' though he's likely better for this D.

 

[Myk]

Make me HC/DC and then give me top talent across the board on D and watch my great football scheme be the best. If Flus can't make it happen with less than greats while getting a majority of the focus he's not a HC. Anyone can look good with talent. May as well hire some bum off CCS.

Poles has spent the equivalent to three 1st round picks on the offense.

#10, that's 1. There are no others. Moore, drafted 24. Edmunds, drafted 16. Claypool was a 2nd which is not equal to a 1st.
I guess you could take all the pick value points from all those late rounders and add them up to claim anything is equivalent.
You're cherry picking and twisting data to suit your wishes.

 

[JordanSigler]

Make me HC/DC and then give me top talent across the board on D and watch my great football scheme be the best. If Flus can't make it happen with less than greats while getting a majority of the focus he's not a HC. Anyone can look good with talent. May as well hire some bum off CCS.





#10, that's 1. There are no others. Moore, drafted 24. Edmunds, drafted 16. Claypool was a 2nd which is not equal to a 1st.
I guess you could take all the pick value points from all those late rounders and add them up to claim anything is equivalent.
You're cherry picking and twisting data to suit your wishes.

Moore was given up in place of the Panthers 2025 1st. Claypool was given up for the 32nd pick, which has been a first round pick since the most recent expansion.

 

[Myk]

Moore was given up in place of the Panthers 2025 1st. Claypool was given up for the 32nd pick, which has been a first round pick since the most recent expansion.

2025 1st may as well be a 2nd. Claypool was traded for a 2nd. Had we kept that 2nd it wouldn't have been a 1st because another team lost their 1st. Steelers don't get a 5th option on Porter.

 

[JordanSigler]

“2025 1st may as well be a 2nd.”

And scene.
If the 32nd pick isn’t a first in your eyes because of the forfeit, than that point about the 2025 1st is mute.

 

[hyatt151]

Unless they find a way to fix the pass rush, my expectations are pretty low. But should be better than last season.

I agree they will be better stopping the run, but expect they will be slayed in the passing game