One of the most underappreciated moves made by the Chicago Bears in the offseason was the hiring of defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Allen's run as defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints from 2015 to 2021 was overlooked for the great job he did. He took that defense from being ranked 31st in rushing and pass defense in 2015 to 4th and 14th by 2021.
Entering 2025, Allen is taking over a decent Bears defense with a focus on stopping the run. Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine believes the best-case scenario for Chicago's defense in 2025 is Allen and the additions made on the defensive line can help the run defense perform better.
"The list of elite defensive coordinators who are previous head coaches in the NFL is impressive. Vic Fangio, Brian Flores, Jim Schwartz and Steve Spagnuolo are routinely putting out great defenses after struggling as HCs.
The Bears' best-case scenario is that Dennis Allen immediately adds himself to that list.
Fixing the run defense and developing more pass rush will need to be at the top of his agenda. Chicago was 24th in EPA per rush and didn't have a single player post six sacks or more.
If Allen can get new addition Dayo Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat to break out while Grady Jarrett and rookie Shemar Turner help improve the run defense, then the Bears can go from a middle-of-the-pack unit to top 10."
What Allen has to work with on defense to improve on stopping the run
Last year, the Bears struggled mightily against the run, ranking 28th, as they allowed 137.1 yards per game. That led to part of the makeover for Chicago being the addition of more talent up front.
The Bears' most significant acquisitions were Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. Jarrett can do both rush the passer and stop the run, as the veteran might be one of the most underrated moves of the offseason. Odeyingbo is more of a pass rusher, but his ability to get off the line and attack the edge can only make the rush defense better.
Chicago needs their star defensive end Montez Sweat to have a better 2025 season after just 5.5 sacks last year. Sweat will benefit from Jarrett and Odeyingbo being there, as it will eliminate the double teams and allow him to do what he does best: hit the quarterback.
Not everything falls on the defensive line, though, to stop the run. There's been much talk this offseason about Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards not having ideal 2024 seasons. Edmunds and Edwards need to bounce back in a big way so the Bears don't look elsewhere for linebacker help.
Read more: The story of how the Bears made their two worst draft picks ever back-to-back
Everyone's focus has been on new head coach Ben Johnson and rebuilding the offense, but the defense has also undergone its fair share of changes. Allen has his work cut out for him, but at least he has a solid foundation to accomplish the job.