One Bears Defensive Line Improvement Now Visible to All

When the Bears sit down to map out their off-season personnel strategy, it needs to include pass rush as a higher priority.

Even with Montez Sweat and what Matt Eberflus calls the "Sweat effect," the Bears need more sacks. Last year they seemed more intent on finding defensive ends who contain while rushing, but at some point a team does need someone who can be like Sweat has been and do both. They'll need to replace or bring back Yannick Ngakoue, who was a pure edge rusher and not a run stopper but is a free agent after making four sacks in 13 games.

They're heading into the final game of the season much improved at applying pressure but still buried near the bottom of the league. They had only 20 last year when they finished last in sacks. Currently, they're at 29 and tied with the Giants for 30th.

There is hope coming from within, though.

Second-round defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Jr. has been an asset all season as a rookie interior pass rusher despite not piling up big sack numbers. And now they're starting to come.

The 1 1/2 sacks he had in Sunday's win finally helped attach a significant number to his efforts, which haven't gone entirely without notice.

"It felt good," Dexter said. "It's the last time in Soldier Field (this year) so just to end it like that felt good."

IT'S LOOKING UP FOR BOTH LUKE GETSY AND JUSTIN FIELDS FOR NOW

Dexter has had all 2 1/2 of his rookie sacks in the last four games. Even before he got one, however, the analytics people looking at his film saw someone contributing in the rush with pressure.

Pro Football Focus has him graded 52nd among 130 linemen on the defensive interior and he has a better pass rush win rate (12.7) than all Bears defensive linemen except Montez Sweat and Andrew Billings. His 29 pressures are six less than starting defensive tackle Justin Jones but have come on 102 fewer chances to rush the passer, according to PFF stats.

The Bears kept saying their two rookie defensive tackles, Dexter and third-rounder Zacch Pickens, were improving but sack numbers hadn't said so.

"Both guys inside are really starting to come on," Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. "You can really feel their take-off, their get-off, the pad level. The length at which they play and then obviously the hits on the quarterback. And those are all starting to pick up.

"Again, those are first-year players that we brought on. And again, they'll be better next year. It's important for those guys to get more reps and get experience. Really learn from the veterans. I love having Justin Jones in there. Andrew Billings in there. Those guys are all wily veterans that have played the game a long time and understand power and leverage and how to get to the quarterback, so that's been good, too."

A CHANCE FOR BEARS TO SHOW HOW FAR THEY'VE COME UNDER EBERFLUS

Jones is a free agent after this year and his fate is undecided. It's possible some of their big chunk of available cap space could go to finding a better interior player but such players often get protected. The big name this year might be Baltimore's Justin Madubuike, who has 13 sacks. Just like with any of the DTs who produce bigger numbers, he might wind up tagged or signed. The Ravens have only about $3.5 million available in effective cap space but could probably restructure deals to get enough back to keep their interior rush man. 

Few young, talented DTs were available last year and they're retained byt teams because it's difficult to find players so effective immediately at the position.

It's easier to develop your own and often takes a few years. So both Dexter and Pickens can't be considered washouts for their lack of big sack numbers. If anything, Dexter looks to be ahead of the curve for the amount of snaps he's been playing. He's on the field for 40% of defensive plays in the Bears line rotation, according to Sportradar.

Dexter recalled the first time the Bears faced Green Bay and thinks the Packers will find their pass rush a bit different Sunday than the one they saw in Week 1 at Soldier Field, before changes had come up front.

RYAN POLES' EFFORTS NOW STARTING TO DRAW HIGH MARKS

"I think it's a little different," he said. "I think now you've got that confidence in the locker room and guys kind of buying in a little more, learning each other.

"It took a litle bit for us to kind of learn each other and know who was who and then a guy like Montez coming in and bringing more life to the defensive unit and the team, as well."