The trenches are without a doubt the area where the Chicago Bears need to look the most in the coming weeks, especially when looking for guys to get to the quarterback. Bringing in a new edge rusher will be at the top of Ryan Poles’ to-do list, but adding on the inside of the defensive line hasn’t been talked about much.
When looking at the upcoming free agent class on the defensive line, there is no doubt that the edge rushers are far superior compared to the interior linemen on the board. While Chicago should definitely be prioritizing help on the outside, any interior option on the market that offers pass rushing upside should be taken into full consideration as well.
If the Bears front office wants to look at any interior lineman when free agency starts up on March 12, they might want to start with a pivotal member of the Eagles championship defensive unit from this past year.
Why the Chicago Bears need to go after Milton Williams
Williams is a pure game wrecker on the defensive line. In his final season with the Eagles, he had five regular season sacks and a forced fumble while staying on the inside all year long. While five sacks doesn’t seem like a ton, getting all of them on the interior is harder to come by than one would think.
The 25-year-old was a third round draft pick of the Eagles in 2021 out of Louisiana Tech. He has 11.5 career regular season sacks in four seasons while working in with a crowded Philadelphia defensive front. Williams had a monster game in the Super Bowl last month as he recorded two sacks and forced a fumble in the Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Chiefs.
Williams finished the 2024 season with a 70.1 overall PFF grade, ranking him 31st among all qualified defensive tackles in the league. He logged exactly 500 snaps on the year and had 40 quarterback pressures which put him in the top 20 at his position. Williams’ ability to disrupt a game plan both in the air and on the ground is clear as day. His numbers and tape back what he can bring to a team this offseason and Chicago should certainly keep him on their radar because of that.
Why Milton Williams might not work for the Chicago Bears
Because of Williams having the free agent profile that he does, he will not come cheap. Sportrac has his estimated average annual salary right now at $17.8 million per season for three years. With Chicago’s cap situation this offseason, this isn’t a number that will totally scare them off. However, they will be cautious with throwing that type of cash around with their plethora of needs this offseason.
If the front office felt more confident putting Williams on the edge, the price tag would be well worth the investment. If Williams remains on the inside, the Bears are better off paying a true edge rusher that money and attacking any defensive tackle needs they may have through the draft or with a cheaper add on the open market.
Chicago Bears 2025 NFL free agency profile: Malcolm Koonce
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