What we learned about Bears after 2 trades for D-linemen, early roster moves (2024)

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — New Chicago Bears edge rusher Darrell Taylor has played for only one team in the NFL — the Seattle Seahawks. He had just spent the past few months learning Mike Macdonald’s new defense, and now he has to learn Matt Eberflus.’

But the simple scheme switch brought a big smile to Taylor as he met the media Saturday, his first day at Halas Hall.

“I didn’t know that much, but I know we’re a 4-3 defense and I’m excited to be moving forward, like going straight all the time. I’m excited about that part,” he said. “I get to play forward. Get to put my hands on guys and stuff like that. So I’m excited to be in this defense and just hearing from the guys, there’s an opportunity to rush the passer here and I’m excited to do that, too.”

With the Seahawks, Taylor was a standup linebacker in their 3-4 scheme. As the odd man out in their outside linebackers room, the Bears saw an opportunity, sending one of their sixth-round picks to Seattle for Taylor, who had 5 1/2 sacks and eight QB hits last season.

In 2022, Taylor had 9 1/2 sacks and 13 QB hits. The entire Bears defensive line that season combined for 10 1/2 sacks.

We have traded a 2025 sixth-round draft pick for Darrell Taylor, pending physical

Welcome to Chicago, DT! 🐻⬇️

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 23, 2024

“Taylor, really good edge guy,” Eberflus said. “He’s had good sack production. We feel good about that. I think he brings a different skill set than we have out there in terms of the way he rushes. What I like most about him is his motor. He’s got a great motor. He finishes. Needs some refinement at the top of the rush, which we’ll work on that, but he pursues and does the things, everything that everybody else does in the building that we expect and what we hold guys accountable to.”

In The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s 2020 scouting report of Taylor, he wrote that Taylor has an “aggressive motor and never gets bored between the white lines.” That’ll work in Chicago and Eberflus’ “HITS” philosophy.

“I think it definitely matches my personality because I’m an intense player,” Taylor said. “Effort is everything no matter who the player is or who the team is. Effort is everything and I think that’s going to be me — effort sacks, effort plays, chasing down everything. And I’m excited to be able to do that in blue and orange.”

Eberflus expects Taylor to rotate with his defensive ends opposite Montez Sweat. DeMarcus Walker has the versatility to bounce inside, and Dominique Robinson has impressed the coaches with his improvement this summer, while rookie Austin Booker has flashed often.

Eberflus reunion at DT

General manager Ryan Poles added another trade to his resume less than 24 hours after acquiring Taylor. He sent the Bears’ other sixth-round pick — the one they got from the Miami Dolphins in the Chase Claypool trade — to the Cleveland Browns for defensive tackle Chris Williams.

Williams entered the league in 2020 as an undrafted rookie with the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent two seasons in Eberflus’ defense.

“He was a young guy back then and I really commended him on the improvement he has made over the last couple of years,” Eberflus said. “And he’s done a really good job of refining his skill set and his pass rush and him playing the run. He does a really good job, uses his length really well.”

We have traded for Chris Williams.

Welcome to the 312, Chris! 🐻⬇️

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 24, 2024

With the Browns this preseason, Williams had two sacks. That stood out to Bears coaches and scouts.

“They just were like they love how hard I play, how I fly around and things like that,” Williams said. “My get-off is a big thing that stood out to them so they were just like just keep doing what I’m doing and be myself.”

Zacch Pickens was injured Monday and hasn’t practiced since. His availability for the start of the season is unknown, so Williams adds depth on the interior.

In addition to having played in Indianapolis for Eberflus and other Bears coaches who were on that staff (Dave Borgonzi, David Overstreet), Williams’ college coach at Wagner was Jason Houghtaling, who’s the Bears assistant offensive line coach.

Attendance report

Pickens, safety Kevin Byard, running back Roschon Johnson, center/guard Ryan Bates, offensive tackle Larry Borom, linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga, long snapper Patrick Scales, defensive end Jacob Martin, guard Theo Benedet, and wide receivers Dante Pettis and Collin Johnson did not practice.

We haven’t seen Scales in three weeks. Eberflus was asked about the potential the Bears will be without Scales when the season gets underway.

“We’ll see,” he said. “We don’t know right now. When we do know, we’ll have to make decisions once we’re there. We are ready to do that. We’ll be flexible.”

Start of cuts

Tight end Tommy Sweeney was cut Saturday morning and undrafted rookie defensive tackle Keith Randolph Jr. was waived.

Sweeney had nine catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns this preseason. The early release might give him extra time to find a new team. Randolph was one of the highest-rated Bears undrafted rookies but had only two tackles and one fumble recovery in the preseason.

We could still see some cuts ahead of Tuesday, but anyone the Bears want to keep for the practice squad will likely stick around until closer to that deadline.

The Bears also released defensive end Khalid Kareem on Friday to make room for Taylor. Kareem, a waiver claim last summer, had 12 tackles, one sack, two QB hits and two passes defensed this preseason.

More roster moves

The Bears placed wide receiver Nsimba Webster (groin) and running back Ian Wheeler (knee) on injured reserve. Safety Douglas Coleman III (neck) was waived with an injury designation, which means he’ll revert to injured reserve if he’s not claimed. All three players were injured in Thursday’s preseason finale.

Webster has been with the team since 2020, mostly on the practice squad. He’s had a nice summer but likely wasn’t going to make the team. Wheeler, an undrafted rookie, tore his ACL. He was one of the better stories of camp, as shown on “Hard Knocks,” but likely would’ve made the practice squad.

Quick hits

• The Bears focused on red zone and third down in Saturday’s practice, as Eberflus wanted to get his starters extra reps after they sat out Thursday’s game in Kansas City. They’ll have closed walk-throughs Sunday and Monday before setting their initial 53-man roster Tuesday.

• Eberflus said they’ll be back in full pads Wednesday and Thursday before the Labor Day weekend ahead of Week 1.

• Looking ahead to the 2025 draft, the Bears still have seven picks: their first-, second-, third- and fifth-round picks. Then they have the Carolina Panthers’ second-rounder, a sixth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers that could be a fourth from the Justin Fields trade, and a seventh-rounder from Cleveland that came in Saturday’s trade for Williams.

(Photo of Darrell Williams: Jane Gershovich / Getty Images)

Kevin Fishbain is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Chicago Bears. Previously, he spent the 2013-16 seasons on the Bears beat for Shaw Media publications. After graduating from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, he covered the NFL from 2010 to 2012 for Pro Football Weekly. Kevin was named the 2023 Illinois Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Follow Kevin on Twitter @kfishbain