The 3 biggest blunders by Ryan Poles during the Chicago Bears offseason
Counting on Justin Jones as the starting 3-tech could be a Chicago Bears blunder
After striking out on Larry Ogunjobi, it took less than 24 hours for the team to announce the signing of Justin Jones. Jones signed a two-year, $12 million dollar deal with the Chicago Bears. Comparing the contract between him and Ogunjobi makes it seem like the Bears are saving a ton of money. This is clearly the case, but one problem remains — will Justin Jones produce?
If we are to believe Matt Eberflus when he talks about how important the 3-technique is to his defense, then it’s hard to be too excited about Justin Jones after Larry Ogunjobi. This is not to say that Jones is a poor player. Maybe the organization and coaching staff saw enough in him to think they can unlock his potential. My concerns are when I see the difference between the production of Ogunjobi — the player the team wanted immediately — and Jones, there are too many glaring differences.
Jones is a run-stopper and not a player that generates consistent pressure. In fact, his best season as a pass rusher was last year when he finished with three sacks and 10 pressures. Ogunjobi on the other hand ended with seven sacks and 24 pressures. In fact, Ogunjobi’s worst season was better than Jones’ best season with 2.5 sacks and 12 pressures. As you can see, there is a major difference between the two. If Jones doesn’t work out it won’t cost the team much, but it is strange thinking that Jones can fill the role the team saw for Ogunjobi.
Not many are talking about it, but there should be some concern when it comes to the 3-technique this year.