One of the top boxes the Bears must check this offseason is improving their pass rush.
They need upgrades personnel-wise and coaching-wise. They're set on the latter, as the Bears introduced newly appointed defensive coordinator Eric Washington on Thursday.
"We're going to be a team that generates pressure with our front four. We are going to build the best pass rush in football. That happens to be an area, fortunately, [where] I've had tremendous success."
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Washington isn't wrong, as his success in improving teams' pass rush is notable. With the Bills over the past three seasons, they ranked fourth, 14th and 11th in sacks, respectively. He took the Panthers from the bottom echelon to 10th in the league in one season between 2011-12, too.
Over the past two seasons, the Bears have ranked 31st and 32nd in sacks recorded, respectively. In 2023, the Bears finished with 30 sacks, just beating out the Arizona Cardinals for the last spot in the rankings. One season before, the Bears finished dead last with a paltry 20 sacks.
Ryan Poles quickly realized the issue in 2022 and prioritized building the trenches. He drafted Gervon Dexter Jr. and Zacch Pickens early in the 2023 NFL draft. More notably, he traded the team's second-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft to the Commanders for Montez Sweat.
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Sweat instantly impacted the Bears, recording 6.0 sacks in nine games, which led the Bears. Washington is well aware of the personnel at hand. And he's confident he has enough at hand to create something special.
"We have the personnel to get that done [becoming the best pass rush]," Washington said. "We've got size, speed, quickness, length, Montez [Sweat]. ... You look at the people we already have here, I mean it's exciting. Plus we invested heavily in the draft last year, with the two young defensive tackles [Dexter and Pickens]. ... All things are just positive as far as that goes."
The Bears need more personnel help on the defensive line, despite Washington's kind words about the current staff. Pickens and Dexter still require time to develop. Justin Jones was helpful last season, but he's not a bona fide starter.
The front office must find another blue-chip pass rusher to play the opposite of Sweat. Only then will they rise from the bottom of the NFL's pass rushing rankings. However they get it done, either through the draft or in free agency, it's a box that must be checked this offseason.
Pundits are quickly beginning to prognosticate who might fit best opposite of Sweat and in the Bears' defense.
One ESPN analyst suggested Jonathan Greenard, who recorded 12.5 sacks last season, as a viable option. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler suggests the Bears might show interest in Pro Bowl edge rusher Danielle Hunter, too.
Stay tuned, as the Bears' pass rush has been a weak spot in their defense for the past two years. How will they respond in 2024?