The Chicago Bears missed one of their key defensive starters, linebacker T.J. Edwards, in their Week 7 win over the New England Patriots. Even with Edwards out, though, the linebacker group did some good things, which could make the next few weeks interesting.
Edwards has now missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the Atlanta Falcons New England Patriots game. Chicago has moved forward without Edwards, though, with two wins and, honestly, two strong defensive performances.
It might have given the Bears an interesting situation to consider at linebacker. Chicago might be deep enough at linebacker to consider lineup changes and maybe make a move before November 10.
Bears' linebackers came through big time against Patriots without T.J. Edwards
The Bears' starting linebacker lineup was Devin Bush and D'Marco Jackson. Noah Sewell rotated in at linebacker, and the three combined for a strong performance against the Patriots.
Bush had rough moments, including an offsides penalty and getting beat on coverage, which allowed a Patriots touchdown. That said, he still had four tackles and was flying around the field. His speed is undeniable and hard to keep up with.
Jackson was the star linebacker. It played out much like his game last season against the Cleveland Browns, which earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week. In the Patriots game, he racked up six tackles, one pass deflection, and a key red-zone interception.
Although he didn't get as many snaps as Bush and Jackson, Sewell still played well in his defensive appearances, with two tackles. It was more about the physicality he brought to the linebacker position and how well he played the run.
Pro Football Focus shared their top five grades on offense and defense for both teams. On offense, Jackson earned the highest grade, 90.5 overall, and Sewell came in second with 79.8.
All three linebackers played well enough that we may need to have a new conversation about Edwards. It could be time to make a move and think about the future.
There's an opportunity for Bears to put T.J. Edwards on the trade block
Chicago's defense has played better over the last two games than it has shown at times throughout the season. Edwards hasn't been on the field for it, so there's a case to be made that he should be traded.
Over the last few years, Edwards has been the team's leading tackler. He hasn't come close to the tackle numbers he is used to, with rookie safety Dillon Thieneman doing that for him. Even in coverage, Edwards has been somewhat better, but not much better than the other three linebackers, so is there a reason to keep him?
Edwards' contract runs through the 2027 season, and the Bears might look to offload him in the offseason, as they did with Tremaine Edmunds last offseason. If the Bears traded Edwards, they would save $1.5 million and only have a $5 million dead cap to deal with.
The Bears could at least get a Day 3 draft pick for Edwards in a trade and use that as a future trade asset or make a selection. General manager Ryan Poles loves his draft picks, and this would give him a reason to pick up the phone and strike a deal with any NFL team that calls him.
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Bush, Sewell, and Jackson played well enough to justify moving Edwards off the roster. If a good offer is out there, Poles should not hesitate to strike a deal.
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