Matt Eberflus names Tremaine Edmunds MIKE linebacker originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Roquan Smith's departure to the Baltimore Ravens begged a question the Bears gave partial answer to this offseason – who will play the team's WILL linebacker?
In Matt Eberflus' defense, the WILL linebacker is one of the most vital positions in his defense. That linebacker is etched to be a turnover machine, creating havoc in all facets. A perfect archetype for the position is Shaquille Leonard, who created 12 turnovers under Eberflus in 2021.
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The Bears didn't see Smith fit for the position when looking at his desired contract figure. His game is dependent on tackles, evidenced by his multiple seasons in the top five leaders in tackling. Through eight games with the Bears last season, he recorded just two turnovers.
At the start of this offseason's opening, however, the Bears hit the ground running with two linebacker signings. They signed Buffalo Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to a lucrative, four-year $72 million deal. And they inked T.J. Edwards to the tune of three years, $19.5 million.
Most speculated the idea that Edmunds would take on the WILL linebacker position, considering his pedigree and contract value. Despite his lowly career turnover numbers, it seemed the Bears would attempt to mold him into the position.
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That, however, will not be the case. Eberflus told the media Edmunds will play the MIKE linebacker spot.
"Just that big body presence in the middle between the hashes," Eberflus said of Edmunds to Dan Wiederer. "That’s where a lot of the throws go. And it really deters that. With his size and length, he has tremendous range as a pass defender."
Edmunds is an elite pass defender. While his career numbers don't necessarily replicate that – 70.82 allowed completion percentage and 9.5 yards per completion, per ProFootballReference – he had his best year in that area last season.
His length and quickness point to his potential to be an excellent pass defender, too. His main forte, however, is tackling. He's recorded over 100 combined tackles in every season he's played in the league, averaging 113 per season.
Edmunds makes more sense for the MIKE linebacker position but begs the question of why the Bears spent a solid lump sum of money for Edmunds to play a less premium position on the defense.
Yet, despite Edmunds' move to the MIKE position, which predicates more ball hawk skills and protecting against the pass, Eberflus still sees turnover production in his future.
"When you put it on a player’s mind and really start to train a player to take the ball away and then he has that physical attributes he has – the length and the size and the range - that’s going to come for him," Eberflus said.
Now, the question returns to the original – who will be the WILL linebacker?
