Chicago Bears: Grading the defensive position groups

We take a look at the Chicago Bears defensive position groups before Week 1

After giving out the Chicago Bears offensive grades, which can be read here. I figured I would move onto the defense. Just like the offense, I’m going to go through each position group and give my grade on each one.

For the sake of simplicity I’m just going to list the positions as they are, so no EDGE, or interior DL, etc. Let’s start things off with the defensive line.

Defensive Ends: Akiem Hicks, Roy Robertson-Harris, Brent Urban, Mario Edwards

Grade: B+

I feel this position can easily be given an A with another solid season from Robertson-Harris. However, I don’t think he is quite at that level yet. The Bears have some solid depth pieces with Urban and the newcomer Edwards.

Edwards is a six-year veteran who is now on his fourth team. He played in 14 games last season, albeit a limited role, but didn’t have much production on the field. He only had eight total tackles last season, with three sacks. In a limited role, the former Saint should be a quality depth piece.

Brent Urban is coming into his seventh NFL season and his second with the Bears. Urban started the 2019 season as a reserve for the Titans for the first five games before coming to Chicago. Once he came to town he appeared in eight games for the Chicago Bears 16 tackles with one TFL. Filling in for the injured Hicks at times.

Moving onto the starters, Roy Roberson-Harris is someone who I feel can take a good step forward in becoming a very solid player in this league. Roy is coming into his fourth year in the NFL all of which has been with the Bears. He was someone who showed out a little in the absence of Hicks last season and many are hoping to get better.

Closing out the DE’s in this 3-4 defense is star player Akiem Hicks. The nine-year veteran has been with the Bears since 2016 and really came into his own as a fantastic lineman in 2016. Hicks only played in five games last season due to injury and will certainly be looking to rectify that in 2020. Akiem’s first three years for the Chicago Bears he never recorded less than seven sacks, a pretty good number for a 3-4 DE.