Kind of hard to give credit to CBs in a defense that was setting records for sacks every season. The mid 80s Bears front 7 was probably one of the best EVER assembled in an innovative defense meant to put real pressure on the QB. Not that Frazier or Richardson were bad, but guys like Tillman and Woolford would've likely beast moded in that D during that time.
I don't know about that. Having very smart & talented bump & run man/press cover CB's will allow a defense like the 46 to bring extra pressure the way that it was able to against all of the pure WC offenses that got ball out quick. Ryan's 46 didn't get all of the pressure that he did by rushing a flat 4, they did with bringing five, six, seven or eight guys every down. In order to do that there has to be an upper echelon of talent at all 4 DB positions. IMO, before his injury, Frazier was a lot better than just "not bad".
Woolford was a beast & still had to be a smart primarily man/press cover CB in Tobins Stack 23, 4-3 base defense that also brought a lot of extra pressure. He was a beast & like Frazier was expected to play a lot of Cover 0 Technique with no help over the top from the Safety, & I do believe could have also played in Ryans 46. I love Tillman, but I'm just not sure he'd thrive the way that he has playing constant man coverage without getting help down the field in a bracket from the safety, as he often has when asked to play man coverage. Tillman makes up for a lack of speed with smart, physical play, excellent tackling/run defense & bumping WR's off their routes inside of 5 yards. I do think Tillman could thrive in the 46, but as safety. IMO he's been the best zone cover/run defending CB the league has to offer & should be a HOF'er. Take aways are take aways & Tillman gets plenty of them, I think he should be a HOF'er, but I do believe Frazier would have earned himself a place among the elite as a pure bump & run man/press cover CB had it not been for his knee injury during 1985 SB.
A defense bringing pressure shouldn't always downplay the talent at the CB or Safety positions, especially when it's applied with bringing more than just a 4 man rush. In that case usually means the CB's & Safeties have to be that much better, & able to hold their own without much or any help in order to allow a DC to bring extra guys. In Fraziers case it was against offenses that were pure WC offenses that attempted to get the ball out quick to help relieve some of that extra pressure.