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Possible Bears D-Line Replacements

Submitted by seestyle » Wed 28-Sep-2022, 20:19 Subject Area: General Keywords: Possible Bears D-Line Replacements, Possible Bears D-Line Replacements, Possible Bears D-Line Replacements, Possible Bears D-Line Replacements, Possible Bears D-Line Replacements, Possible Bears D-Line Replacements, Possible Bears D-Line Replacements	0 member ratings

One defining quality of the 4-3 defense Matt Eberflus brings to the Bears is speed and athleticism over size on the line.The three technique on the defensive line is a key tackle position as the attacking pa s rusher on the interior. He strikes from the weak side of the formation, in the gap off the outside shoulder of the guard. The three technique is not nece sarily big but is quick off the ball. The embodiment of current succe s with this position is Aaron Donald, although you could probably put someone of his talent at many spots acro s the defensive front with similar results. The Bears lack an ideal three technique, at least of the Jimmie Foxx Jersey desired type and talent level.They do have players who have lined up at this place on the field, but not against the weak side of the offensive formation in that spot while consistently attacking upfield. Both Bilal Nichols and Akiem Hicks have played three technique. The Bears used a four-man front in their nickel defense so they had someone on the field who at least lined up over the guard's outside shoulder, even if it wasn't always the weak side of the formation. These two best interior Bears defensive linemen are free agents. When Pro Football Focus came out in January with a list of the best available interior defensive linemen in free agency, No. 1 was none other than Hicks. With his combination of strength and explosivene s, it's po sible some team would want to try him at the three technique in a 4-3. Would that team be the Bears?The smaller, quicker defensive lineman is usually the ideal three technique and not a 330-pound force like Hicks. Donald is 6-1, 285 pounds. But Hicks is quite different than most who are 330 to 340 pounds. The common NFL 330-pounder plays over the center and is a nose tackle. This has never been Hicks' strength. He fit the four technique in the three-man line and even three technique because of his explosivene s off the ball. Why waste a player with his strength and speed, at his size, only to hold up two blockers when he can be tearing down the offensive line by attacking?The Bears talked last training camp with Hicks' agent, Drew Rosenhaus. They never arrived at a contract. His cap hit was over $10 million last year. It's probably best they didn't get a contract because it's po Bobby Doerr Jersey sible this group of Bears decision makers will decide he's not a piece suited to their 4-3 front.Part of the reason smaller defensive tackles fill this role better in a 4-3 is they need to be very agile. When they're attacking upfield, the potential for being out of their gap of responsibility occurs. When this happens it breaks down the entire front.Someone fast, strong and agile can recover quicker if they've extended beyond their own lane of responsibility, and then they can keep the uncovered gap from being exploited. While powerful and fast, Hicks appears le s likely to have this recovery ability. Still, it would be interesting to see someone with his ferocity and size attempt the task. If he pulled it off, he might Rafael Devers Jersey actually revolutionize the three technique position for a 4-3s. The real problem is Hicks turns 33 in November and mi sed 19 games the last three seasons with injuries or COVID, after three straight seasons without a mi sed game. This has to be taken into account by the Bears or any team signing him. It's a sumed the Bears would be interested in adding a three technique through the draft because the cost is far lower. The projected cost in free agency for many of the defensive linemen available could scare off even teams with a decent amount of cap space available, like the Bears.Here are players who they could be looking at in free agency if they wanted to go in a different direction than Hicks and Nichols or the draft for a po sible three technique or 4-3 nose.B.J. Hill, BengalsIn his fifth year, he has 13 sacks and had 5.5 last year with career highs of 50 tackles and 12 quarterback hits. At 6-3, 303, he seemed to fit well as a 4-3 tackle and only the cost is a difficult ask, projected by Pro Football Focus at $26.25 million total divided over three years.D.J. Jones, 49ersProjected by PFF at the same price as Hill, he is just 27 and good size for a three technique at 6-foot, 305. He's coming off career highs of 56 tackles and 10 for lo s. He's not the best at closing the pa s rush with two sacks last year. Calais Campbell, RavensReally he has been more suited to end in a 3-4 at 6-8 and 300 pounds or even end in a 4-3. Now 35 years old, he doesn't seem like a fit for a 4-3 interior lineman, although that long reach can help knock down pa ses in theory. He only had one of those last year after getting six in 2020.Maliek Collins, TexansHe has both past Matt Eberflus connection and also with fabled 4-3 defensive line coach Rod Marinelli because he was with the in 2020 and then last year in Lovie Smith's 4-3. Before that in 2016 he was drafted by the Cowboys when Marinelli was the defensive Christian Vazquez Jersey coordinator and Eberflus was linebackers coach. In those Cowboys seasons he had 14 1/2 tackles for three years. Last year in Smith's system he got nine tackles for lo s, seven QB hits and 2 1/2 sacks. So he is a player who could play somewhere in an attacking Bears front. His cost is projected at three years and $27.75 million by PFFSheldon Richardson, VikingsProbably a lower cost lineman as he has been around a while and just turned 31. Richardson is good size for a 4-3 tackle at 6-3, 290 and versatile enough that he actually played outside linebacker in the Jets 3-4, as well as defensive end. With 33 1/2 sacks, he might not be an ideal fit at three technique but is a capable of doing about anything asked of him in the line. A lower-cost option at this point in his career. Quinton Jefferson, RaidersComing off a five-sack, 16-pre sure season and at 28, he looks like a po sible addition for any 4-3 team because of his time spent under Marinelli. At 6-4, 291, he is coming off a season with career highs of 4 1/2 sacks and 16 quarterback hits. He might be an ideal Bears addition at a lower price.Ndamukong Suh, BuccaneersIf Hicks had shown the same ability to play through all po sible situations as Suh has throughout his career, perhaps there is no question about the Bears keeping their free agent. At 35 for 2022, Suh has mi sed only two starts in his entire career and both came in 2011. Last year saw the first real decline in his tackle totals, as it fell to 27, the lowest of his career. He still had good totals of 13 QB hits, seven tackles for lo s and six sacks. At 6-4, 315, he still can play the one-gap front and probably is more likely to want to finish up in Tampa now after winning a Super Bowl there. Linval Fred Lynn Jersey Joseph, VikingsHe's closer to Hicks' size at 6-4, 329, but probably more suited for a nose in the 4-3 than the three technique slot. At $8.5 million a year and 33 years old, he should probably be a more ideal fit at three technique before the Bears would consider him.Larry Ogunjobi, BengalsComing off his best all-ar

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