If there was one recurring storyline from Bears games last season, it came in two parts. First, this secondary took the football away — and did it often, leading the NFL with 33 takeaways. Second, they were consistently slower than the offenses they faced, which resulted in some genuinely ugly chunk plays that had nothing to do with scheme and everything to do with athleticism gaps.
Chicago’s front office and coaching staff clearly saw both of those things. The mission this offseason was to keep the instincts and ball-hawking DNA of this group intact while closing the speed gap that opposing offenses exploited all season long. The moves they made suggest they’re serious about it.
The writing was on the wall when the Bears made minimal to no effort to retain three of their most productive defensive backs. Kevin Byard III, who led the NFL with seven interceptions last season, departed in free agency. His defensive backfield running mate, Jaquan Brisker, followed. Cornerback Nahshon Wright, who turned in a career year with five interceptions and a pick-six, was allowed to walk too. When a front office lets a group like that leave without a fight, it’s telling you something about the direction they want to go.
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