Bears tackle DT depth, commerce for Browns’ Chris Williams

LAKE FOREST, Ailing. — The Chicago Bears acquired defensive sort out Chris Williams and a 2025 seventh-round choose from the Cleveland Browns in alternate for a sixth-round choice Saturday.

Williams is the second defensive addition the Bears have introduced in by way of commerce in as many days. They despatched a sixth-round choose to the Seattle Seahawks on Friday for Darrell Taylor.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus expressed issues over the crew’s depth at defensive sort out after an harm to order Zacch Pickens put the second-year sort out’s standing for Week 1 in query.

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Williams, 26, spent the primary two years of his profession in Indianapolis, the place Eberflus was the defensive coordinator. Williams then frolicked on the follow squads in Kansas Metropolis and Cleveland. He appeared in 13 video games with the Colts and registered six tackles.

“I used to be productive then once I was with him, too, and I felt progress each time, yearly with him,” Williams stated. “I do know his scheme is to assault and be quick and use my skillset. Positively is what I really feel snug with on this scheme.”

Williams was listed as a fifth-string defensive sort out on Cleveland’s depth chart and was thought-about a protracted shot to make the roster. In his last preseason sport with the Browns, Williams had two sacks, together with one which led to a security.

The seventh-rounder that Chicago gave to Cleveland was initially acquired in a commerce that despatched huge receiver Chase Claypool to the Miami Dolphins in October. The Bears now have seven draft alternatives in 2025: a primary, two seconds (one from Carolina), a 3rd, a fifth, a sixth (by way of Pittsburgh) and a seventh (by way of Cleveland).

Eberflus additionally addressed the crew’s commerce for Taylor, whose talent set he believes offers the Bears with extra flexibility on the defensive position.

“I believe he brings a unique talent set than we now have on the market when it comes to the way in which he rushes,” Eberflus stated of Taylor. “What I like most about him is his motor. He is obtained an ideal motor. He finishes. Wants some refinement on the high of the frenzy, which, we’ll work on that, however he pursues and does the issues, every little thing that everyone else does within the constructing that we count on and what we maintain guys accountable to.”

The Bears’ quest to search out an edge rusher to pair with Professional Bowler Montez Sweat was detailed within the newest episode of HBO’s “Laborious Knocks.” Chicago had deliberate to ship a third-round choose to the New England Patriots in alternate for Matthew Judon however selected to not additional its pursuit after not with the ability to iron out the parameters of an extension with the 32-year-old outdoors linebacker, who was finally traded to the Atlanta Falcons.

In 2023, Taylor appeared in all 17 video games for Seattle and logged 5 begins. He recorded 5.5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits whereas enjoying 44% of the crew’s defensive snaps.

When requested whether or not Taylor initiatives to get the vast majority of reps reverse Sweat, Eberflus urged that the Bears would proceed to interchange edge rushers with the beginning defensive position.

“I believe will probably be rotational,” Eberflus stated. “I actually do. We’ll play that sizzling hand. I really feel actually good about all the fellows who’re on the market proper now, you already know, [Austin] Booker, Dom [Robinson] and [DeMarcus Walker] and all these guys who’re enjoying with Tez on the one aspect. So we’ll simply make it a contest and see who’s sizzling and allow them to rush.”

ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi contributed to this report.