Ben Johnson made one of the first major steps of his Chicago Bears coaching tenure this week, when he hired Dennis Alan, the head coach of Ockland Reders and New Orleans Saints, as his defensive coordinator.
The Beers on Tuesday announced the hire of Allen and aggressive coordinator Decklan Doyle, but new assistants have not been introduced, so reporters and fans are still waiting to hear what Alan thinks What can he do with the defense that he is taking.
Johnson in his initial comment last week made it clear that he believes that beer had talent in the roster, even said that beer was “Sleeping Vishal” entering the beer 2024 season.
So are Johnson and Alan inherited in defense? We look at positivity, issues and questions that should be answered less than two months before the free agency.
2024 Defensive Rankings
- Gaja per game is allowed: 354.2, 27th position
- Permission per game Points: 21.8, 13th
- Passing yard per game is allowed: 217.9, 16th
- Per game permission yard: 136.3, 28th
- Blocking rate: 2.19%, 18th
- Sack rate: 7.95%, 11th
- Third-down percentage: 37.56%, 13th
- Red-zone percent: 46.03%, second
Strength state
Conneback
Ben Johnson in his first comments mentioned three defensive players in his first comments last week, and had two defensive backs: Cornerback Gelon Johnson and Nickel Back Kiler Gordon.
He called Gordon “an unprecedented nickel” and said that Detroit Lions did not want to throw the path of Johnson because he is playing so well.
Jaylon Johnson was selected in Pro Bowl for the second straight year in 2025. Their number was below his career year in 2023, but he still had two blocks, rescued eight passes, a forced fambal, 53 tackle and seven tackle for a loss for a loss.
Gordon stood out as one of the better developing defensive players in a struggling team in 2024. He did not have a pick, but defended five passes, one forced fambal, three fambal recovery, 75 tackles and four tackle for a loss.
Gordon is a contract-witting candidate who is entering his fourth year-a subject that he said in the late season that he had heard a lot from family and friends.
“I feel solid,” he said about the season. “Obviously I want to do all the time. I am trying to produce as much as I can, but, yes, I am constantly growing. ,
Tyroic Stevenson has a wild card in the group after a second season with a very public misunderstanding – the Washington Commanders’ lary Mary’s focus on conquering his omission – and expensive punishment but some big plays. He had two intercourse, including a pick-Six, 12 pass rescue, a forced fambal and 78 tackle.
Even beer president George McCasky weighed at the results of Stevenson’s actions against the commanders, when he was interacting with the crowd as the Ola Mary Play started and then out of the situation.
McCaki said in early January, “I had not seen anything like this as a supervisor of this great game for more than 60 years.” “I was more interested in his reaction and his comrades reacted. I think he understood that he made a mistake. He was owned by it. He apologized to his colleagues. He apologized to fans. And he said that he was going to learn from it, and I think he did it. ,
The Beers also have backup Tarel Smith, who enter their third season as a developing option. Ben Johnson and Alan certainly want to obey more than this group, but overall it is a good returning artist.
greatest weakness
Defensive line
When Johnson considered what Lions stood with him about the Beers Defense as an aggressive coordinator, he mentioned the run defense in 2023.
Bears led NFL in 2023, allowing yards, but it fell to 28th position in the league in 2024 as they left the 136.3 Rushing Yard per game. Johnson said Andrew Billings disappeared nine games with torn pectoral muscle to deal with the nose, as a reason for the slide, although such a dip is beyond just one player.
Good news is billings, which is under contract for 2025, said that the next day after the end of the season, he expects to return to the activities of the organized team in May.
“I will just get this right, it will be healthy back,” he said. “It is not going to keep it back until I take it back to the same strength as the (second) side. I will go well. ,
But the bear had a lot of other issues on the defensive line compared to the absence of billings.
He finished 11th with 7.95% sack percentage, but did not have a player with more than 5 and Montez sweat. The second year’s defensive tackle Geron dexter was in second place with five sacks, followed by four of the linebackers TJ Edwards and 3½ of the defensive end Demarkus Walker.
General Manager Ryan Poles listed Dexter among young players whose bears are excited in development. But there is no doubt that the bear requires more depth behind him, especially the second year’s defensive tackle zach picance, there was a healthy scratch by the end of the season.
And, as we reach the next, they need much more than the defensive end position.
Most pressure question
Will the bears bring another edge to the crowd – and Montez will get out more than sweat?
Before Allen was hired, Johnson was asked to give his defensive philosophy, and he boiled a major principle for a question: “How do we interrupt anti -quarterbacks?”
Johnson said that there are more than one answer, that coverage and run defense also plays a quarterback. But it begins with a nearby crowd, and in 2024, the bears in that regard were not enough from the crowd of their shore.
It begins with sweat, which was played in 2024 through some injury issues. Pols said that with the sixth year defensive end, he had a “good conversation” after the season, which signed a contract expansion of four years, $ 98 million in November 2023.
“I know he is disappointed in himself and wants to be better,” said Pols. “I know and he knows that he is very capable. Also, as we continue to build a defensive line, adding more talent on it will help.
“When we saw some of the chip numbers and double teams, they also got the appropriate part of it. And the way you lose, add more talent to make more matchup. ,
Edge Rashar has now been in the list of poles needs for some offson. He traded 2023 for sweat, but did not make a big investment contrary to sweat.
In 2024, Beers trusted Walker, Darell Taylor and Jacob Martin to fill the role. Walkers, who made a total of 16 quarterbacks, are subject to contracts for 2025. Taylor and Martin – each of which had three sacks – would be free agents for this offsen.
Beyond upgrading the aggressive line, another age Rashar is again one of the most pressure needs of the bear.
Other unknown
Will the security Jaquan Brisker play in its fourth season?
In the last month, some roster themes were not fully addressed, with so many questions for the pole around the coaching search. One of them was with a brisker, which faced a game on 6 October in a game, which she finished against Carolina Panthers – and then never played again in 2024.
Beers said in the last three months of the season that briskers are still recovering. But Poles said in January that briskers and guards/centers Ryan Bates, who also finished the year, with a consent, “were feeling themselves back.” He diagnosed his disease with Billings, Cornerback Gelon Jones and left to deal with Brexon Jones, which also had surgery.
“I believe in all those people that they are going to get ready to help us next year,” said Pols. “I do not have a specific timetable for their returns, but they are in the right direction.”
The Beers missed the physicality of the bristers and playing in 12 matches without it. It is worth noting that he has faced at least three consensus in three sessions.
The Beers also have veteran security Kevin Bayer and Backup Jonathan Owens and Eliza Hicks under contract for the next season.
Can we expect more splash plays from linebackers?
Johnson called Linebacks Tremine Edmunds and TJ Edwards a “excellent bowler”.
“They are hurried to diagnose and react,” they said.
The Admonds-Adwards combination humiliated with the ability to play late in the 2023 season, and the pair combined for seven interception, two forced people and three fambal recovery that year.
But each of them had only one interception in 2024, and a dip of Edmonds in production was notable for a player at a contract of $ 72 million.
Eric Washington, a defensive coordinator of former Beers, said in the last week of the season that Edmunds remained a strong communicator as a quarterback of Beers Defense, but said he would like to see more splash plays. He had eight nearby rescues and a forced thunder.
Washington said, “The tremine will be the first person to tell you that he would like to make some of them plays.” “I will not characterize the way to be played as a step back. You always want more production, especially from your frontline people who are there, and I am sure -as we move forward, we will find a way to get out of it. ,
Edwards was more noticeable in playing his consistently. He had a career-hai four sacks and 12 tackles, with six quarterback hits, a forced fambal and two damage to the recovery.
How will Dennis Allen be Aries with his new personnel?
Johnson said that he had never met Ellen before being introduced as the head coach of Beers, but he praised Allen’s defense when Lions played the saints. He said Alan was also recommended by Lions coach Dan Campbell and former Lions Defense Coordinator Aaron Glenn.
“He has been on the way everywhere, he has been a top third-down team, a top red-zone team,” said Johnson. “So there are a lot of columns what he does in a planned manner that will appeal for me.”
Alan has protected 4-3 in the past, so that the infection can help for players returning from the 4-3 scheme of Matt Eberflus. It will be worth seeing that the bears create roster twice and additions in the next months as Elon is ready to apply his system in Chicago.