What does the Chicago Bears depth chart look like at inside linebacker?
The Chicago Bears are in the time between the main free-agency spending spree and the 2020 NFL draft. It is an excellent chance to look back at their roster and see where the holes are heading into the NFL draft.
What does the Chicago Bears depth chart look like at inside linebacker, and do they need help at the position?
1. Roquan Smith
Smith had a weird season. Parts of it, he was playing the best we have seen from him. Others, he looked lost and disengaged. Then, he had the game he was held out for personal reasons. Needless to say, this is an important year three for Smith. It appeared taking on the play caller duties with Trevathan injured was too much for him. Still, he cannot rely on Trevathan forever, and will need to take a step forward, and take command of this defense.
2. Danny Trevathan
Trevathan is now 30 years old. He has missed seven, four, and eight games in three of his four seasons in Chicago. In the one out of four, he was healthy throughout; they made the playoffs. Still, one out of four is not good odds, especially as he is aging.
He is still a better player than Nick Kwiatkoski, but the two getting almost identical contracts speaks to the reliability issues that come with Danny Trevathan.
3. Joel Iyiegbuniwe
While all the talk is about Trevathan and Kwiatkoski this offseason, Iggy quietly launched into the third linebacker role. Kevin Pierre-Louis is gone, and now Iggy went from a fifth linebacker who could not see the field to a prime backup to an injury-prone linebacker.
4. Josh Woods
Woods spent 2018 on the practice squad, and 2019 as a special teams player who was also inactive for half of the season. With the two losses at the position, he may be relied on more, but we have not seen much yet, aside from special teams.
5. Devonte Bond
Bond was brought in for the last three weeks of 2019 and played special teams. He kept a job through the offseason, but he is going to be competing for his roster spot life whenever football is played next.
Overall, the Bears may be looking to draft at linebacker. They need depth behind Trevathan, and by signing Pierre-Louis and starting him over Iggy, it appears they are not ready to see what he can do as a starter. Do they have more faith in Iggy? That would still mean they need to add depth here.