Most analysts and Chicago Bears fans think the linebacker group might be the team’s most improved unit–if not the best unit on the team. New rankings from Madden indicate the Bears might have downgraded by trading Roquan Smith last season and signing Tremaine Edmunds in free agency this spring.
Tremaine Edmunds ranked lower than a former Chicago Bears LB
Per ESPN, Madden released their top-ten off-the-ball linebackers for the 2023 season. The number one linebacker is Smith, who has a 97 overall ranking. Edmunds is ranked as the eighth-best linebacker on Madden 24.
Not getting around these guys 😤
The top 10 LB tacklers in #Madden24 @EAMaddenNFL pic.twitter.com/tGZ9ZFHQy6
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 21, 2023
Madden’s ranking is somewhat different than ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler’s poll of executives, coaches, and scouts rankings of off-the-ball linebackers for this season:
- Fred Warner
- Roquan Smith
- Tremaine Edmunds
Per Fowler’s report, a coach thought the Bears made a mistake by not keeping Smith:
“I can’t believe [the Bears] let him out of their building,” an NFL coordinator said. “He’s a stud.”
Will the Bears miss Roquan Smith?
It’s clear that people working in the NFL rank Edmunds higher than those who come up with the metrics in Madden do. But there’s a clear theme in the preseason hype–Edmunds is a clear downgrade compared to Smith.
Pro Football Focus grades Edmunds much higher than Smith for last season’s play. Edmunds earned a 79 overall grade for his play last season.
Smith earned 70.6 for the 2022 season. He struggled in Matt Eberflus’ scheme and the Bears’ lackluster roster up front last year. Smith earned a 52.6 grade with the Bears but played much better for the Baltimore Ravens, as he received an 84.7 grade for his final nine games last season with the Ravens.
(One should note with the PFF scores, it’s hard to compare their style of play. Smith defends the run better, and Edmunds is better in pass coverage.)
What’s interesting about their PFF grades is their inconsistency. Edmunds earned a 47.9 grade (for his Pro Bowl season) in 2020. Smith earned a 47.8 grade for the 2021 season
Fortunately for the Bears, even if Edmunds is a downgrade to Smith, the team added additional help to the unit. They signed T.J. Edwards and drafted Noah Sewell.
The biggest takeaway from these rankings is clearly how much the linebacker position doesn’t matter to a team’s success. The Bears switched up the deck chairs of their titanic defense without taking care of the iron rivets that would help the linebackers do their job, the defensive line.
You also may want to check the Fantasy Football Predictions: Chicago Bears Players and Chicago Bears part ways with injured tight end
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