Why the Chicago Bears defense is confident last season’s struggles are a thing of the past – The Denver Post

When Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker got his chance Wednesday afternoon, he didn’t let it float by. During 7-on-7 work at the team’s minicamp at Halas Hall, Brisker broke on a pass thrown over the middle by quarterback Justin Fields and after cornerback Jaylon Johnson appeared to get a hand on the football, he pounced.

Brisker had an interception in his hands and daylight to his left. Up the sideline he went, all the way through the north end zone on Field 2 and up toward the Halas Hall weight room.

Brisker’s defensive teammates erupted.

It was the kind of play that lights a wick for a defense with an energy the Bears are vowing to bring much more of in 2023.

All spring long, veteran safety Eddie Jackson has felt such vibes pulsing.

“It’s just a different feel out there right now,” Jackson said this week, acknowledging the number of newcomers he’s still getting acquainted with as he returns from a foot injury that ended his 2022 campaign prematurely.

In the secondary, the Bears have seen an early emergence from rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.

In the linebacking corps, Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards and Noah Sewell have all made their presence felt.

Up front, there’s DeMarcus Walker, Terrell Lewis, Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens.

The young guys, Jackson said, have come in with their foot on the gas and purpose in their work habits while the veterans continue supplying intelligence, experience and enthusiasm.

“We get a turnover. We knock the ball down. We scoop a ball up,” Jackson said. “The energy is just so intense out there right now. When you get a bunch of guys like that, you’re going to create something special.”

Walker, who made the Bears his fourth team in the last four seasons with a three-year, $21-million deal in free agency, has felt a competitive spirit during the offseason program that has impressed him. He has also tried to do his part in setting a tone daily.

“If you all hear somebody yelling, ‘It’s time to work mother …’ that’s me,” Walker said. “Every day when I step between those lines I make sure the team hears that.”

The Bears understand how much their defense deteriorated in 2022. In 17 games they totaled a league-worst 20 sacks.

“I know, right?” Walker said. “That’s why I’m here.”

The Bears also finished 29th in the league in yards allowed (375.9 yards per game) and red-zone defense, 28th in third-down defense and ended the season on a brutal 10-game losing streak that saw them give up 4,080 total yards and 331 points.

We repeat: 4,080 yards and 331 points — over 10 games, all losses.

For full context, veteran pass rusher Robert Quinn was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith was dealt to Baltimore a week later. Jackson suffered a season-ending left foot injury Nov. 27. And top cornerback Jaylon Johnson (broken finger) was shut down for the season when he was placed on injured reserve right before Christmas.

It’s little wonder the Bears were running on fumes by the time they hit New Year’s Day and suffered their worst loss of the year by allowing 38 points over their first seven defensive series in a 41-10 drubbing by the Detroit Lions.

Still, there’s no hiding from this: a franchise that prides itself on nasty defense now led by a head coach who specializes in defense was incredibly poor defensively last season. Which created a demanding reclamation project for 2023.

Matt Eberflus has been straightforward in his efforts to get his team to destroy any rearview mirrors that reflect last season.

“When you’re in this business as a pro player or pro coach, you have to have your eyes forward,” Eberflus said. “What are you doing now to take positive steps?”

Walker used a decidedly sharper tone when asked about the Bears’ 2022 defensive struggles.

“I forgot about that crap,” he said. “… This is the 2023 Chicago Bears. We’ve got a whole new identity, a whole new defense, a whole new offense, a whole new group of guys going out there willing to fight and lead. So honestly? F— that s—. Last year’s done.”

A new year will officially begin in less than six weeks when the Bears report to training camp in Lake Forest. Count defensive tackle Justin Jones among those eager to get that preseason buildup started. Through organized team activities and minicamp, Jones felt a new energy within the defense and a bond beginning to strengthen. This, he promised, won’t be 2022.

“We’ve got a lot more pieces, a lot more depth, a lot more talent,” Jones said. “I’m really excited for the season.”

Jones also sensed an elevated buy-in that he’s confident can improve the on-field results.

“That’s when you really start cooking with fire,” he said. “Because now you have talented players and guys who want to be here and want to play for the Bears. It’s going to be a good deal.”

Eberflus will be partly responsible for turning this spring buzz into in-season results. The Bears coach has been pleased with the team’s chemistry-building process throughout this offseason. Along with that, he said, the on-field spirit has been heightened thanks to the arrival of veterans like Edmunds, Walker and Edwards.

“High-energy guys,” Eberflus said. “It certainly raises the buoy so to speak with the energy, the skill level, the talent. I think that’s been great. And those guys can feel that. When you start making some plays, you gain confidence.”

As the offseason program ended Thursday, Bears defenders were confident they had made promising strides. It will all be put to the test soon.

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