The Chicago Bears will be a completely different team from top to bottom going into next season, but there will be somethings that will stay consistent heading into 2024.
While the additions of two new coordinators, a new quarterback, and new weapons on offense seems like a major overhaul for the organization next season, this is still head coach Matt Eberflus' team and his mindset leading the way.
When the Bears hired Eberflus in 2022, the front office wanted to bring in a veteran coach with great leadership characteristics with a strong defensive philosophy to lead a team in Chicago. By the end of the 2023 season, we were finally able to see both of those qualities start to show from the team's head coach.
While it took a while from the outside to see things pan out for the Bears' head coach, those inside the building and those familiar with Eberflus in the past knew it was a matter of time before things worked out.
The biggest turnaround of the Bears season last year came after Eberflus took over as the defensive play-caller and the front office went out to bring in Montez Sweat. From that point on, the Bears defense played, and acted like, a Top-10 unit in the league. That expectation is expected to continue in 2024 with Eberflus remaining in his role.
Newly inducted Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney was enticed by Eberflus' skill as a play-caller and believes good things will continue to happen in Chicago with Eberflus remaining in that role while sharing his thoughts last week on the Under Center Podcast.
"He's a total defensive coordinator in my mind, because he throws so many things, but he's solid in every area from a coverage standpoint," Freeney explained. "There's certain coordinators who just blitz, blitz and blitz and that's all they do. You start picking up the blitz, they can't do anything else. I don't think that's what he does, his strength is everywhere and I think that's why he's so good. I think that's probably why [Ryan Poles] and the owner decided to keep him is because he is a guy who doesn't have any weakness when it comes to calling his defense."
Those were kind words to receive from the newest member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who had a legendary career of his own during his time in the NFL. The same sentiment has been shared from many members of the Bears' defense including their newest star who helped turn the unit around in 2024.
"[Eberflus is] smart, he's innovative, he listens to us players," Sweat said back in January. "He trusts his gut, and he trusts his players. There's definitely a foundation here that we're building upon."
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a month away, the Bears' head coach is hoping to add the last missing piece to his defense, which is another pass rusher to complement his newest star pass rusher in order to round out the team's defensive line and get after the quarterback next season.
"It's important that we get that piece because you have to have the 1-2 punch," Eberflus said via the team's official website. "I would also argue that the inside piece is also something that we should be looking at, and it's important that we do that. Direct line to the quarterback. When they max protect, it's a soft spot in the protection. We're looking at all pass rushers. It can be inside, outside, all along the line. We're having an open mind in that regard."
Freeney knows a thing or two about playing alongside a top prospect on the defensive line that was brought in to boost the defense during his time with the Indianapolis Colts. Following his first season with the Colts, the front office added Robert Mathis to the defensive line in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. From 2003-2012, the two combined for 186.0 sacks and became one of the top dominant pass rushing duos.
That's exactly what the Bears and Eberflus are hoping to lay the foundation for with Sweat and a top prospect selected at some point in the upcoming draft, a decision Freeney is all in favor of the Bears making later this month.
"There's nothing better when you're out there with your teammate, and he's struggling, the same struggle that you are, and you can just look across and he's shaking his head and you're shaking your head. It's just one of those things where if you have somebody who's a dog across from, you just know one of you two are going to get there." Freeney said. "Whoever [the Bears draft], they have to see eye to eye with what's going on scheme wise and play off each other."
The Bears have been doing their due diligence on many of the top pass rushing prospects in this year's draft in the first round and later rounds. Armed with four picks in the draft, adding an edge rusher seems like a top priority in order for Eberflus' unit to continue operating at a high level.
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