The Chicago Bears are expected to field a strong defense this season, but when you break down the roster by position, it becomes clear they lack elite players at most spots.
That reality was reflected in Bleacher Report’s NFC North All-Star team, which featured just one Bear: cornerback Jaylon Johnson. There are arguments to be made for other Bears, but none are slam dunks.
Who on the Bears' defense needed to be on the all-NFC North team?
On the edge, Montez Sweat is coming off a down year and couldn’t compete with Jonathan Greenard, who broke out in Minnesota, or Aidan Hutchinson, who has become one of the division’s marquee names.
On the interior, Grady Jarrett could have been in the conversation, but he’s also coming off his worst season. Gervon Dexter had a strong finish to 2024 and could be compared to Harrison Phillips, but Phillips was more consistent over the whole season and anchored a Vikings defense that drew plenty of attention.
At linebacker, T.J. Edwards might have the strongest case for a snub. Edwards was arguably better than Edgerrin Cooper last year, but Cooper is younger, ascending, and is getting the benefit of projection over pedigree. This may be the biggest miss in the Bears’ favor.
In the secondary, Tyrique Stevenson, Kevin Byard, and Jaquan Brisker didn’t have strong enough seasons to warrant selection, and while Kyler Gordon has a good case, Brian Branch is equally good and already has more name recognition.
Read more: Chicago Bears’ offseason additions shine in B/R's NFC North all-division team
It’s easy to imagine Dexter, Edwards, and Gordon cracking the All-Division lineup next year if they continue to improve. But for now, the Bears’ defense is seen as solid but not star-studded, raising the question: is it better to have fewer holes and fewer stars, or more star power at the risk of weaker depth?