There is an element of risk involved for the Bears with relying on veteran defensive tackle Justin Jones at the three technique.
Jones is no exact fit at this position because he didn't play in the 4-3 with the Chargers, but he envisions success being the attacker in this defensive front and coach Matt Eberflus saw enough traits in a different defensive system to let him believe it can happen. It must, because it's only the most important position in this defense.
"The three technique is the penetrator," Jones said. "He's the anchor of the defense. You have to trust the 3-technique that he's going to work. You don’'t set the edge for the three technique, the defense – we're going to get down the field, we're knocking guys back, we're being aggressive, we're being disruptive, making plays in the backfield, having fun together. Party at the quarterback."
Jones wasn't much of a partier in Los Angeles with 4 1/2 total sacks, but the pressure of so important a role appeals to his nature.
"I do. I do. I wake up every day thinking about that," he said.
Eberflus needs the penetration up front, someone in the quarterback's face constantly to force the risky throws so his zone secondary can make plays on the football. The Bears showed how it can work in this week's OTA session that the media could see when the pressure tipped a pass and downfield DeAndre Houston-Carson waited for the floating ball for the easy interception.
The lack of a standout from an exact scheme fit makes this a bit of a risk, and that was why the Bears were so quick to first sign Larry Ogunjobi for $40 1/2 million. Jones, who got two years and $12 million, is not quite a nose tackle converting to wide receiver. He has all the required physical traits and performed a very similar task in a slightly different formation.
"I think it's gonna be pretty easy for him because they (the Chargers) played a lot of what I call under front," Eberflus said. "So they set their three technique away from the tight end. So he's been playing some three technique. So that, to me, that's why we really recruited him and brought him here.
"We saw visual evidence on tape that he could do the spot. He's done a good job with it. It's a takeoff position. It lends to his athletic ability, and he's just gonna get better and better and better. So I didn't really see the jump (just) because (L.A.) was a 3-4 system. A lot of those guys are in under defense, so we really saw it on tape when we recruited him."
OTAs tell so little about linemen on both sides of the ball. As Eberflus himself admits, they need the pads on for contact and then there is confirmation.
"We'll see," Eberflus said. "Obviously I love the athletic ability, I love the man, I love his attitude. He's working super hard, and again, the evaluation will continue to go all the way through training camp, like we said.
"When we put the pads on, then we get our true evaluation. But where he is right now, we are extremely excited about that."
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