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How Bears are adding unique D-line wrinkles to elevate Montez Sweat, pass rush in 2024 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Bears’ defensive line enters training camp as the team’s biggest question mark ahead of the 2024 season.
The Bears watched defensive tackle Justin Jones leave in free agency while edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue remains unsigned on the free agent market. General manager Ryan Poles only made minor additions to the defensive line this offseason. The Bears drafted edge rusher Austin Booker in the fifth round of the 2024 draft and signed situational pass rusher Jacob Martin but have otherwise been quiet on that front.
Poles said he and the font office would consider adding another veteran defensive lineman during camp, but that would only happen after they evaluate the current roster in pads.
If the Bears don’t add another veteran defensive lineman, they will enter the season relying on DeMarcus Walker, Gervon Dexter, and Andrew Billings to provide the required disruption opposite Montez Sweat.
But head coach Matt Eberflus and defensive coordinator Eric Washington have also been in the lab installing some new wrinkles to their rush plan that should help further unlock Sweat and those around him.
“We want to have flexibility,” Washington said Tuesday after practice. “I’ll say this — we want flexibility where we can align [Sweat]. We want to utilize his skillset against the offensive line and not just specific to one position. First of all, I really appreciate the fact that he’s embracing that challenge and everything he’s doing to make his game as well-rounded as possible.”
In their search for flexibility, the Bears are experimenting with moving Sweat from the left side to the right side and kicking him inside to tackle when necessary. Sweat has played 3,395 snaps in his career, but only 75 have come inside.
Moving Sweat around the line will allow the Bears to shift the offensive line’s protection and free up…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-adding-unique-d-line-211542537.html
Author : NBC Sports Chicago
Publish date : 2024-07-24 21:15:42
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