While Ben Johnson’s arrival to the Chicago Bears has shined a spotlight on the offense, the franchise knows they need to have a defensive revival as well. That’s where new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen comes in.
One of the most respected defensive minds in the NFL, Allen will play a crucial role in helping Johnson get acclimated as head coach. Furthermore, he’ll play a massive roll in re-tooling Chicago’s defense. The Bears have plenty of strong building blocks in place, but it’ll be up to Allen to find the perfect structure.
As he begins his tenure, there are sure to be some speed bumps along the road. The biggest concern is simply getting the roster up to speed with Allen’s complex system, argues Mike Jones of The Athletic.
“Allen was hired after 10 seasons in New Orleans, the last three as head coach, and he has an expansive bag of tricks with varied fronts, diverse blitz packages and coverages,” Jones wrote. “Asked for thoughts on their initial introduction to their new leader’s system, Chicago’s defensive players described Allen’s philosophies as “very complex.”
“Top pass rusher Montez Sweat noted how much more extensive Allen’s schemes were compared to previous defenses in which he has played. It could take some time for Chicago’s players to fully absorb all of Allen’s defense, which isn’t necessarily a good thing,” Jones continued. “Players are at their best when they can attack instinctively. There are hours of training camp and preseason practices ahead of them, but the Bears could be looking at a slow start to the season.”
Chicago Bears try to remedy defensive disaster
During the 2024 campaign, Chicago ranked 27th in total defense, allowing 354.3 yards per game. The biggest issue was on the ground, as the Bears ranked 28th overall, allowing 136.3 yards per game. General manager Ryan Poles and company took an aggressive approach in addressing the issue during the offseason.
The franchise signed 10-year veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to a three-year contract and then drafted fellow DT Shemar Turner in the second-round. Garrett is now poised to start next to Gervon Dexter, who is coming off of a five-sack campaign. Add in the fact that veteran Andrew Billings is coming back from his season-ending injury, and at least on paper Chicago’s run defense looks stronger.
The secondary was arguably Chicago’s biggest strength in 2024. They ranked 16th in pass defense by allowing 217.9 yards per game. With players like Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon and Kevin Byard in place, secondary should once again be one of the Bears’ strongest defensive suits in 2025.
Only helping the cause would be amped up pass rush. The Bears signed Dayo Odeyingbo to help in that regard. Coming off of back-to-back 17 quarterback hit campaigns with the Indianapolis Colts, the 25-year-old is expected to take another leap forward with the Bears. Furthermore, his presence should help further activate fellow pass rusher Montez Sweat opposite him.
There are a lot of moving pieces in terms of a true defensive turnaround. But if Allen can make it all work, Chicago will be a scary threat for any opponent in 2025.
Dennis Allen helping right the ship
Allen’s run as head coach of the New Orleans Saints didn’t go to plan. However, he has been a coach in the NFL since 2022. He’s held the defensive coordinator role in numerous spots and proved he is capable of leading a unit. Johnson is confident that Allen will find his stride with the Bears.
From 2015-2021, Allen served as defensive coordinator of the Saints. By 2019, he was able to help the team finish 11th in defense, allowing 333.1 YPG. But it’d only get better from there. From 2020-2022, the Saints never finished lower than seventh in total defense. New Orleans peaked in 2020, ranking fourth by allowing 310.9 YPG.
While it may be his first year on the job, Allen is already throwing plenty of information at the Bears defense. He wants to be aggressive and throw numerous different schemes at opposing offenses. But to do all, all 11 players must be on the same page.
Throughout training camp, how Allen coaches up the defense will be under a microscope. The tools are all in front of him to succeed. Getting the Bears defense back on track would not only shine a light on Allen’s coaching expertise, but put the NFC North on notice for the foreseeable future.
Chicago Bears rumored to be seeking ‘end-around’ legislation for new stadium: Report
Read MoreFor More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
