From the Trib/Brad Biggs
Concern over the depth chart at outside linebacker and the pass rush was overwhelmingly the most popular topic this week, and that is understandable. It’s a fair question, but I think there has been some overreaction, and some faith in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is probably needed.
First, let’s take inventory of the pass rush from last season, how it did and what’s missing from that group. The Bears had 42 sacks in 2017, their most since they had 48 all the way back in 2001, and that ranked tied for seventh in the NFL. With two more sacks the Bears would have been fifth, and they were only six behind the vaunted Rams defense. So not that far off from some of the best defenses in the league.
Gone from that group are five players who combined for 14½ sacks — Lamarr Houston (4), Pernell McPhee (4), Mitch Unrein (2½), Willie Young (2) and Christian Jones (2). Jones is the only player who logged major playing time last season (58.9 percent of the snaps), and that was because of injuries to Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan. Unrein was on the field for 36.8 percent of the snaps. McPhee had 36.4 percent, and Houston (21.4 percent) and Young (11.3 percent) played small roles. So we’re not talking about replacing a ton of playing time either.
What jumps out is the Bears wound up with three of the top 51 picks in the draft and they didn’t address what was, going into the draft, their greatest need. That being said, I don’t believe they had enough picks to satisfy every need, at least not that high. I say that because there would have been questions had they not added pieces to the interior of the offensive line, wide receiver and inside linebacker. They were going to be light at one of those spots and it wound up being outside linebacker, which makes sense from the standpoint that it was a particularly weak position in the draft. The player that sort of stands out is Boston College’s Harold Landry, who slipped — reportedly because of some medical concerns and a poor final season — to No. 41 overall when the Titans scooped him up. If Landry is a major producer in Tennessee, the Bears will have missed on that one. They drafted Iowa offensive lineman James Daniels at No. 39.
The Bears do a nice job of getting some pass rush push from their interior players in the sub package. Akiem Hicks led the team with 8½ sacks, and while Eddie Goldman had only 1½ sacks, he had 16 combined quarterback hurries and knockdowns and helps collapse the pocket. They have effectively replaced McPhee with Aaron Lynch, who has familiarity with the Fangio and the scheme. It’s also important to note that Sam Acho is coming off what was easily his best season since his rookie year in 2011. Acho played with more confidence last season and the Bears’ belief in him was reflected in the contract he signed after he played on minimum deals for three consecutive years. I imagine Acho will have the first shot at nailing down a starting job in the base defense and Lynch will have an opportunity to work into the rotation.
If one of Isaiah Irving, Howard Jones or sixth-round draft pick Kylie Fitts can emerge, Fangio will have another piece to plug into the pass rush. In an ideal world would the Bears have more and exciting options to pair with Leonard Floyd? No question. But the position was lacking in free agency and the talent pool was shallow in the draft, and it’s not like they’re trying to replace one player who had 14½ sacks last year or two players who had seven sacks apiece in 2017. They need to account for five role players who made modest contributions to the pass rush. If you believe in Fangio and what he can do schematically, there is reason to believe this isn’t analogous to the wide receiver situation in 2017 or the cornerback situation in 2016. Will there be a focus on the position group and needs throughout the year? Most likely. Will the Bears be monitoring potential options that become available? I’d be very surprised if they were not. Will this position group hold the team back from success in 2018? I think that’s a bit of an extreme take.
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