Insider says Bears should pursue Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner
The Chicago Bears rank last in the NFL in sacks and 24th in total defense, but one team insider believes both issues can be remedied with one move.
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin recently suggested that the Bears pursue Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to both improve their inside pass rush and help stabilize their defensive line.
“With no guaranteed money remaining on the final two years of his contract, Buckner may want to play somewhere else as Indianapolis appears headed for a rebuild,” Cronin wrote. “A trade would reunite him with Eberflus and cement the “engine” in Chicago’s defense.”
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus coached Buckner for two years when he was the Colts defensive coordinator, in which Buckner had two of his most productive seasons. The 28-year-old DT had 9.5 and seven sacks, respectively, leading the team in sacks both years.
He also had 106 QB pressures, 60 QB hurries, 44 QB hits, 20 tackles for loss, and 19 QB knockdowns over that two-year span under Eberflus, making the Pro Bowl in 2021 and being named a First Team All-Pro in 2020.
Justin Jones is Chicago’s only interior defensive lineman with more than one sack this season. In fact, all Bears defensive tackles have combined for just three sacks, 42 pressures, 32 hurries and seven QB hits.
More must-reads: