Philadelphia DT Jalen Carter had more pressures than the Chicago Bears as a team
Going into the 2023 offseason it was clear that some of the biggest needs on the Chicago Bears roster were in the trenches. The Bears struggled to create any sort of pass rush a year ago, ranking dead last in sacks, pressures and near the bottom against the run.
Holding pick No. 9 in the 2023 NFL Draft, Ryan Poles had the chance to address that need with Georgia’s Jalen Carter sitting there. Instead, after months of controversy surrounding the Bulldogs star, Poles traded the pick to Philadelphia who then took Carter as the Bears took OT Darnell Wright.
It’s only one game but so far, Jalen Carter looks like he could be a stud as he finished with 8 pressures in the Week 1 win over New England. To make matters worse, the Bears as a team finished with just 6 against the Packers.
Ouch.
*I GET WHY THE BEARS DIDN'T TAKE HIM, BUT*
Jalen Carter Week 1 pressures – 8
Bears Week 1 pressures – 6🫠
— Brad Spielberger, Esq. (@PFF_Brad) September 11, 2023
The Bears had their reasons for passing on Jalen Carter
Chicago was connected to Carter for the majority of the offseason, even when they had the No. 1 overall pick. Carter’s play on the field was good enough to be in the conversation as one of the top players in this draft.
However, the off-field issues raised a major concern with Ryan Poles and the front office.
The Bears did their due-diligence on Carter, meeting with him several times. They also met with the Georgia staff to get a feel for him. Poles has made it clear that character is a big factor in evaluating players for his franchise, so you can see why they passed on Carter.
But as long as Jalen Carter is in the league and playing well, he will be a ‘what if’ for the Bears and that 2023 NFL draft with Poles and the team.
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