There are no unimportant positions on a football field, regardless of unit. One – quarterback – may be more important, but a glaring weakness elsewhere on offense can compromise that individual. An opponent’s return team absolutely will find the one incompetent member of the coverage unit. A defensive back is too often only as good as what goes on in front of him, and vice versa.
(Any doubts, see: Bears, Chicago; 2014).
Three overarching issues will in large part determine the success of the 2015 Bears, and those will be addressed subsequently by CSNChicago.com. But four specific positions warrant close attention when training camp opens later this month and on through the preseason:
Defensive end
When the Bears signed Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young last offseason, the plan was to add a win-now edge pass rush out of a 4-3 scheme.