General manager Ryan Poles has multiple critical roster decisions to make in the months ahead as he tries to build the Chicago Bears into a championship-contending team.
He already made two Thursday — releasing veteran offensive lineman Cody Whitehair and safety Eddie Jackson. Other big moves could be around the corner.
With the NFL scouting combine and free agency on the horizon, we looked Monday at how the Bears offensive players fared in 2023, what their contract status is for 2024 and how Poles might evaluate each position. Now here’s a look at the most significant defensive players.
*Contract numbers according to spotrac.com, overthecap.com and the NFL Players Association. Stats according to Pro Football Reference.
Defensive ends
Montez Sweat
Contract status: Entering first year of a four-year extension.
What to know: Poles signed Sweat to a $98 million extension five days after he acquired the five-year NFL veteran from the Washington Commanders for a 2024 second-round draft pick. Poles said Sweat was a “multiplier” in his nine games in Chicago, making everyone around him better while recording six sacks, 14 quarterback hits, four tackles for a loss, three passes defended and a forced fumble. The Bears will rely on that “Tez Effect” again in 2024.
Yannick Ngakoue
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent.
What to know: Ngakoue was a late free-agent addition to a group that desperately needed pass-rush help, signing a one-year, $10.5 million deal in early August. His production wasn’t on par with his career numbers, but it picked up a bit with the arrival of Sweat. Ngakoue had two of his four sacks and three of his seven quarterback hits in five games with Sweat. He then went on injured reserve with a broken ankle that required surgery and missed the final four games. The Bears likely will continue to build their pass rush this offseason.
DeMarcus Walker
Contract status: Entering second year of a three-year contract.
What to know: Walker signed a $21 million deal last offseason and played 67% of the defensive snaps in 17 games. He had 30 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks, 16 quarterback hits and nine tackles for a loss and looked to take on a vocal leadership role where he could. He could continue to be a big part of the defensive line rotation.
Rasheem Green
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent.
What to know: Green was another short-term plug for the defensive end depth issues, signing a one-year, $2.5 million contract. He had 15 tackles, two sacks, two tackles for a loss and five quarterback hits while playing 36% of the defensive snaps.
Dominique Robinson
Contract status: Entering third year of rookie contract.
What to know: Robinson was a developmental project from the time the Bears drafted the former quarterback and wide receiver in the fifth round out of Miami (Ohio). His opportunities fell off midseason when he was a scratch for six straight games. When Ngakoue went out with injury, he returned to limited game action. He had a half-sack, a quarterback hit, a tackle for a loss, 12 tackles and a pass defended in 11 games.
Defensive tackles
Justin Jones
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent.
What to know: Jones’ case will be interesting to watch as the Bears determine how to proceed on the interior of the defensive line. They have young tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens, but Jones started 17 games and played 69% of the defensive snaps in 2023. He had career highs with 4 1/2 sacks and 17 quarterback hits, along with 49 tackles, four passes defended and 10 tackles for a loss. Jones, who has been with the Bears since 2022, also was their nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year for his charity work and leadership.
Andrew Billings
Contract status: Entering first year of a two-year extension.
What to know: Poles was pleased enough with what Billings provided at nose tackle in his first year with the Bears that the GM signed him to a two-year, $8 million extension in November. That will allow Billings to play for the same team for two years in a row for the first time since 2018-19 with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Gervon Dexter
Contract status: Entering second year of rookie contract.
What to know: Dexter, the No. 53 pick in the 2023 draft, had what Poles deemed a “normal rookie season” — quiet at the beginning but showing growth by the end. Poles said he thought Dexter started to affect the quarterback and run game more by the end of the year, and he finished with 20 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and two passes defended.
Zacch Pickens
Contract status: Entering second year of rookie contract.
What to know: Poles lumped in Pickens, the No. 64 pick in the 2023 draft, with Dexter when he said he was excited for the young players to take the next step in 2024. Pickens had a half-sack, two quarterback hits, a tackle for a loss, a forced fumble and a pass defended to go with 20 tackles.
Linebackers
Tremaine Edmunds
Contract status: Entering second year of a four-year contract.
What to know: Edmunds was Poles’ biggest free-agent signing last offseason, and the linebacker came on strong by the end of 2023 to help the $72 million contract look solid. Edmunds earned the Bears’ ballhawk award after totaling four interceptions — including a pick-six — a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also had 113 tackles and seven passes defended. He had only five interceptions over the first five years of his career before his outburst in 2023.
T.J. Edwards
Contract status: Entering second year of a three-year contract.
What to know: Edwards was in the thick of the ballhawk competition with Edmunds after totaling three interceptions, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, along with seven passes defended, 155 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks, eight quarterback hits and eight tackles for a loss. Edwards was perhaps Poles’ greatest value signing last year, joining the Bears from the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year, $19.5 million deal.
Jack Sanborn
Contract status: Entering final year of a three-year contract.
What to know: The 2022 undrafted free agent continued to be a productive part of the defense, playing strong-side linebacker and filling in for two games when Edmunds was injured. Sanborn had 65 tackles, seven for a loss, a sack, an interception and two passes defended.
Noah Sewell
Contract status: Entering second year of rookie contract.
What to know: The 2023 fifth-round pick played only 27 defensive snaps but figured heavily on special teams in his 13 games. He battled a knee injury late in the season.
Dylan Cole
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent.
What to know: Cole, a seven-year NFL veteran, played only three snaps on defense but played 80% of the special teams snaps in his 16 games during his first season with the Bears.
Cornerbacks
Jaylon Johnson
Contract status: Set to be an unrestricted free agent. Franchise/transition tag window opens Tuesday and runs through March 5.
What to know: Poles made it clear at his end-of-season news conference that he expects Johnson to be with the team next year. “Jaylon’s not going to go anywhere,” he said. Whether Johnson stays via the franchise or transition tag or a contract extension is the big question. Johnson certainly helped his case by totaling a career-high four interceptions, including a pick-six, 10 passes defended and a forced fumble in his fourth season. He was recognized as a Pro Bowl selection and a second-team Associated Press All-Pro.
Tyrique Stevenson
Contract status: Entering second year of rookie contract.
What to know: The Bears drafted Stevenson with the No. 56 pick in 2023, and he started 16 games, totaling four interceptions, 16 passes defended, two forced fumbles and 86 tackles. The experience was invaluable, and the Bears will look for a big jump in his development in Year 2.
Kyler Gordon
Contract status: Entering third year of rookie contract.
What to know: Coaches praised Gordon’s increased comfort in Year 2 as he totaled two interceptions, six passes defended, a sack, two quarterback hits, 61 tackles and three tackles for a loss in 13 games. He missed four games early with a broken hand but returned to continue his development at nickel, where he’ll be a factor again in 2024.
Terell Smith
Contract status: Entering second year of rookie contract.
What to know: The 2023 fifth-round pick missed five games with mononucleosis but still got quite a bit of playing time, filling in for injured players and splitting reps with Stevenson in many of the other games. Smith had six passes defended, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 49 tackles and three tackles for a loss, and he’ll return as key depth at cornerback — and continued competition for Stevenson.
Jaylon Jones
Contract status: Entering final year of a three-year contract.
What to know: Johnson, an undrafted free agent in 2022, played in all 17 games, logging most of his time on special teams with 148 defensive snaps.
Josh Blackwell
Contract status: Exclusive rights free agent.
What to know: In his second season with the Bears, Blackwell played in 10 games, primarily on special teams. He had 28 snaps on defense.
Greg Stroman Jr.
Contract status: Signed through 2024.
What to know: The six-year NFL veteran played in seven games and made one start, totaling 150 defensive snaps. He had an interception, a pass defended, 19 tackles, a sack and three tackles for a loss.
Safeties
Eddie Jackson
Contract status: Released on Feb. 15.
What to know: Jackson’s seven-season tenure with the Bears ended last week when Poles opted to cut him to clear $12.56 million from the salary cap. It was a predictable move but a notable one given Jackson’s growth into a leader of the Bears defense. He had four of his 15 career interceptions in 2022 but just one in 2023. He also dealt with a foot injury that forced him to miss 10 games over the last two seasons. Now the Bears need to find a free safety to complement Jaquan Brisker.
Jaquan Brisker
Contract status: Entering third year of rookie contract.
What to know: Brisker continued to bring fire and physicality to the Bears defense over 15 games in his second season. He had 105 tackles, including three for a loss, a sack, three quarterback hits, an interception, nine passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. The Bears hope he can continue to build on a promising first two seasons.
Elijah Hicks
Contract status: Entering third year of rookie contract.
What to know: The 2022 seventh-round pick started six games at safety when Jackson and Brisker were out with injuries, totaling 35 tackles and a pass defended.
Quindell Johnson
Contract status: Signed through 2025.
What to know: The Bears claimed Johnson off waivers before the season, and the rookie played in nine games and had one interception.
Specialists
Cairo Santos, kicker
Contract status: Entering first year of a four-year extension.
What to know: Poles locked up Santos in December with a four-year, $16 million contract. In his fourth season with the Bears, Santos made 35 of 38 field goals, including seven of 50 or more yards. The 92.1% success rate was the second-best of his career behind a 93.8% mark with the Bears in 2020. He also made 31 of 33 extra points.
Trenton Gill, punter
Contract status: Entering third year of rookie contract.
What to know: Gill’s stats were about on par with what he did as a rookie. He averaged 46.1 yards per punt and 38 net yards per punt — both in the bottom third of the league — with eight touchbacks and 18 inside the 20-yard line.
Patrick Scales, long snapper
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent.
What to know: The longest-tenured Bears player, the 36-year-old Scales has played a part in Santos’ stellar kicking run over four seasons.
