The Bears were a major reclamation project when Matt Eberflus stepped in as coach in January — even on the defensive side, which was their supposed strength. The once-mighty defense plunged from being one of the best in recent NFL history to one that struggled to stop anybody and got lit up left and right in the secondary.
But general manager Ryan Poles has given Eberflus a chance at making the defense good. That’s not a long-term goal. It’s possible this season.
Eberflus inherited a core of linebacker Roquan Smith, cornerback Jaylon Johnson and defensive end Robert Quinn.