How overrated is the Chicago Bears defense heading into the 2024 NFL season?

The Chicago Bears defense has been hyped up as a possible Top-5 unit for the 2024 NFL season, is the hype warranted?

The improvement in the Chicago Bears defense after the Montez Sweat trade seemed real and palpable to the overall success of the 2023 season.  The Bears improved from a three-win team to a seven-win team.   Their pressure rate on the QB increased, their sacks went up and the turnovers they generated in the secondary also went up.

So with the level of improvement fans saw with the additions of veteran talent and the development of young talent it’s safe to say that that will continue to pay dividends in 2024.  However, in the same breath that there was improvement it’s safe to ask exactly how did they improve and where are there still shortcomings with the defense?

Notably the Chicago Bears were number one in the NFL against the run last year.  The addition of three key players helped the Bears stop the run in a big way in 2023.  Defensive tackle Andrew Billings and linebackers TJ Edwards and Trumaine Edmunds made it very difficult for teams to run against this defense.  The front seven was tailor made to perform well against the run because the front seven was very balanced.

Billings could occupy more than one blocker, Justin Jones could get up the field through his gap and disrupt the backfield as evidenced by his 10 tackles for a loss from a year ago.   The linebackers were very disciplined in their gaps and very strong and sure tacklers.   Add to it Jaquan Brisker at safety plays downhill and could wrap up and tackle in the run game with the best safeties in the game.  Another completely underrated factor was nickel back Kyler Gordon and how well he played against the run.

All of these things combined led to the Bears being a very strong defensive team that then allowed them to T-off in passing situations.  The problem is the pass defense was amongst the worst in the NFL and it seems to have gone unnoticed in the eyes of fans.

The biggest problem is despite the addition of Montez Sweat, the Chicago Bears were still second to last in total sacks in the NFL in 2023 just ahead of the Carolina Panthers.  The Bears also didn’t do anything major to add to the pass rush in 2024 and instead drafted a fifth-round project defensive end.  They also lost 3-technique Justin Jones in free agency leaving a major void.

The lack of a pass rush also led to the Chicago Bears being fourth worst in touchdown passes allowed 29th in the league allowing 31 TDs.   Making things even more worrisome, the Bears defense has only faired well primarily against backup QBs since Matt Eberflus arrived.

The secondary has been a mixed bag, they did well in generating turnovers, but were ranked in the bottom third of the league in pass defense.

In 2023 the defense played well against rookie QB Bryce Young, journeymen QBs Josh Dobbs, Taylor Heinecke, Sam Howell, and Brian Hoyer, and Kyler Murray who just returned from his knee surgery.  On the other side of things, Joe Flacco came off the couch and through for 374 yards and two scores in a loss to the 20-17 loss to the Browns.  Lastly, they were humbled again in week 18 when Jordan Love had 317 yards and two scores in yet another loss to the Packers.

So, the Bears weren’t good against the pass and didn’t add anyone of significance to the front seven.  So the question becomes will the addition of Kevin Byard at safety and fifth round draft pick defensive end Austin Booker be enough for the 2024 Chicago Bears defense?

It seems like as far as it feels like the Bears have come, there’s still a lot of work to be done to prove that they’ve taken a big step on defense heading into 2024.  There’s no real evidence to say that this group will be a Top-10 defense much less a Top-5 defense.

There is no pass rusher to support Montez Sweat on the edge, and there’s not a pass rush specialist on the inside of the defensive line.  When the Bears have been at their best it’s been with a pass rush from the inside of the defensive line that’s help bolster their fortunes.  Dan Hampton and Steve McMichael in the 80s Tommie Harris and Henry Melton with the 2006 Bears and 2011 and 2012 Bears respectively, and Akiem Hicks was the catalyst behind the success of the 2018 Chicago Bears defense.

Overall though the hope may simply be the defense will be better because the offense is better.  The 2024 Chicago Bears may finally have the chance to play with a lead, and they won’t have to constantly come back onto the field after the offense logs yet another three-and-out or short drive.  Perhaps then, the biggest addition will be the offensive firepower that Caleb Williams brings to the Bears that puts even less pressure on the defense.  For once maybe the Bears will win because of the offense, and not because of the defense.

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