One of Allen’s best attributes as a defensive coach has been his ability to create reliable and threatening pass-rusher whether during his time in Denver, Oakland, and New Orleans.  From 2018 to 2023, Dennis Allen oversaw a Saints’ defense that featured two more defensive linemen who recorded six or more sacks, while having a different lineman record seven or more sacks in each of the last three seasons. Over the last three years, Chicago did not have a defensive player record six or more sacks, except for Sweat in the second half of the 2023 seasons.

A helpful aspect to Allen’s defensive scheme is that it is a hybrid Cover-2 and is similar to what a majority of the defensive players have played in the last three season in Chicago under former head coach Matt Eberflus. For the Bears defense to be successful in 2025, they will need pass-rush pressure from other than Sweat, Odeyingbo, and Jarrett. That means that Dennis Allen will have develop either Booker, Turner, or Dexter, with one of them needing to capitalize on opposing offensive pass-blocking assignments being significantly focused on one of the more reliable veterans.

Dennis Allen must repeat the same success that Vic Fangio had

For the Bears to have a return to a consistent pass-rush pressure from the defensive line. Allen will have to generate similar results to that of former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who oversaw a reliable defensive unit for four seasons. Fangio was Chicago’s defensive play-caller from 2015 to 2018, as his defense consistently featured pressure from defensive linemen as a team staple. Several defensive ends saw success playing in the defensive coach’s 3-4 scheme, which relied on their presence to help stop opposing quarterbacks.

The 2015 season displayed Fangio’s talent for developing pass-rushers, as he helped several defensive veterans either have the same level of production or a bounce back year in a completely new defensive scheme. Despite shifting from a 4-3 to 3-4 defensive gameplan, edge rushers like Willie Young, LaMarr Houston, and Pernell McPhee each recorded six or more sacks. During Vic Fangio’s four seasons as defensive coordinator for the Bears, the unit averaged 41 sacks a year.

It is that level of constant pass-rush pressure that Dennis Allen will have to create and develop for the Bears’ defense in 2025. If Allen wants to see the same production that Fangio had during his four years as a defensive coordinator, then one of his younger defensive linemen will need to be turned into a star. The former defensive play-caller developed defensive end Akiem Hicks, who recorded 23 sacks from 2017 to 2018 while being named to the Pro Bowl in 2018.

Allen will become a successful coordinator for the Bears not only if the defense is a top ten unit statistically, but if one of the younger defensive players has a breakout season. Imagine a scenario where Booker records eight or more sacks, especially with how he was receiving comparisons to All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby during the draft process last year. Dennis Allen has proven capable of developing players and defenses as a whole during his 15 year play-calling career, but he can solidify himself as one of the best ever if he can do it for the Bears now.