For as much hype as head coach Ben Johnson’s arrival has brought to the Chicago Bears’ offense, the defense is expected to go through massive changes as well. Leading the charge will be new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
He comes to the Windy City with plenty of coaching experience and will be a pillar for Johnson as he makes the jump from offensive coordinator to head coach. But when it comes to defense, Allen is inheriting a unit that ranked 27th in 2024, allowing 354.3 yards per game.
The Bears have a number of solid building blocks in place, but Allen still needs to find a way to put all the pieces together. However, things could get rocky in year one. If the wheels were to truly fall off for Chicago, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report expects the cause to be team’s secondary and linebacker corps being tested.
“Allen is inheriting a young, talented secondary led by Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon,” Ballentine wrote. “However, Kevin Byard is going to be 32 when the season starts and Jaquan Brisker missed all but five games last season. It’s not guaranteed that everything will work out at safety.
“The Bears’ potential lack of depth at inside linebacker makes that even more troubling,” Ballentine continued. “If Tremaine Edmunds or T.J. Edwards are forced to miss time, then fourth-round pick Ruben Hyppolite II could be forced into action before he’s ready. That scenario would put a ton of pressure on a front four that still has a lot to prove.”
Chicago Bears secondary, linebackers
In both the secondary and in Chicago’s linebacker room, the depth chart is top loaded but lacks high levels of depth. Still, the team’s secondary is considered arguably the Bears biggest strength.
The unit is highlighted by cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who is looking to prove he is one of the best defensive backs in the league. In the slot will be Kyler Gordon, who received an extension making him the highest paid player at his position. The biggest question mark remaining is Tyrique Stevenson, who is poised to start opposite Johnson. He has shown flashes in the past, but he must show consistency to retain his role.
Chicago’s safety situation is straightforward heading into 2025, Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker will be the starters. However, both are free agents after the season. Byard is entering his age-32 campaign while Brisker played in just five games in 2024 due to a concussion. Sooner rather than later, the Bears must consider the future of the position.
At linebacker TJ Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds are leading the way. But behind them is a list of unheralded options. Fourth-round rookie Ruben Hyppolite has been impressive. But it’d be quite the vote of confidence for him to have a sizable role out of the gate.
Training camp will have clean up both positions and answer plenty of questions. But Allen must ensure there aren’t any weak spots in the second and third levels of his defense.
Glass half full
There is a reason the Bears have once again earned their now infamous ‘Offseason Champion,’ moniker. Looking at the defensive side, a pair of defensive additions alongside Allen’s arrival has led to plenty of optimism.
The list of elite defensive coordinators who are previous head coaches in the NFL is impressive. Vic Fangio, Brian Flores, Jim Schwartz and Steve Spagnuolo are routinely putting out great defenses after struggling as HCs,” Ballentine wrote. “The Bears’ best-case scenario is that Dennis Allen immediately adds himself to that list.”
“If Allen can get new addition Dayo Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat to break out while Grady Jarrett and rookie Shemar Turner help improve the run defense, then the Bears can go from a middle-of-the-pack unit to top 10,” Ballentine concluded.
The Bears signed Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo to a pair of deals worth nearly $100 million. Odeyingbo will line up opposite Montez Sweat, the unquestioned leader on Chicago’s defensive line. Between them will be Jarrett and Gervon Dexter, who is coming off of a breakout five-sack campaign.
Add in a returning Andrew Billings and second-round pick Shemar Turner and thinks look much stronger across the Bears defensive line. Playing in the NFC North, they know they need to bring constant pressure to the backfield.
But it’s one thing to be impressive on paper and another to register results. Come Week 1, Allen and company will be looking to prove the Bears defense is legit.
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