In 2022, the Chicago Bears linebacker group was never exactly what Chicago Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus wanted. In order for the defense to perform as expected, that group not only has to play the run well but also has to be very good in coverage.
When the Bears played Lovie Smith’s version of the Tampa-2 scheme, they more often than not played with three linebackers on the field. In today’s game with five defensive backs basically being the base defense, most clubs play most downs with two linebackers.
Last year before he was traded, Roquan Smith was the lead linebacker and played the all-important Will linebacker position.