The Chicago Bears have done a great job of upgrading the talent on their roster over the last offseason. General manager Ryan Poles had a lot of cap space and draft capital to work with, making the most of them.
One of the positions that he has put a lot of those assets towards is linebacker. In free agency in 2023, he signed Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards to contracts shortly after the window to negotiate opened.
Those are the headliners, but the depth behind them is excellent as well. Jack Sanborn has played well whenever pressed into duty and is a starter alongside Edmonds and Edwards.
Backing them up is a strong group of Noah Sewell, Amen Ogbongbemiga and Micah Bakersville. They will all be competing for a spot on the 53-man roster behind the starters.
While it seems like the Chicago Bears are set at the second level of their defense, one analyst believes they may not be done adding to the position. Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports believes they are a logical landing spot for former star linebacker, Shaquille Leonard.
“If Leonard is simply looking to take on a rotational role to remain in the NFL, the Bears are an intriguing option… He could be a solid depth piece at the position,” wrote Sullivan.
The other two teams mentioned by Sullivan as potential suitors are the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. What those two teams don’t have, which the Chicago Bears do, is a head coach he has a previous relationship with.
Matt Eberflus was the defensive coordinator for Leonard and the Indianapolis Colts in 2018 when he entered the league. His four-year dominant stretch out of the gate all came under Eberflus.
In his first four seasons in the NFL, Leonard earned four All-Pro nominations, three first-team and one second-team, and three Pro Bowls. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018, looking like the next star linebacker in the league.
Unfortunately, injuries have derailed him in recent seasons. His production has fallen off as a result, but as a situational linebacker who knows the scheme, he could offer the Chicago Bears some insurance at the position.
