Grading the 2025 Bears Defense That Aged Us All 10 Years
If the 2025 Bears offense was a steady climb to competence, the 2025 Bears defense was a drunken rollercoaster ride in the dark.
One week, they looked like the ’85 Bears, snatching souls and interceptions (33 takeaways! League leaders!). The next week? They looked like a turnstile at the CTA, letting teams march 400 yards up and down the field while we screamed into our pillows.
This unit was the definition of “statistical schizophrenia.” They ranked 1st in takeaways and 29th in yards allowed. That shouldn’t even be mathematically possible. It’s like being the smartest kid in class but failing every test because you forgot to bring a pencil.
First-year Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen brought a philosophy to Chicago that can be summed up simply: “Go big or go home.” We went big (23 interceptions).
When we got a turnover? We more than likely won. When we didn’t? We were getting blown out. It was binary. It was stressful. It was exhilarating.
Let’s grade the maniacs — every single one of them — who made this season so weird.
DEFENSIVE ENDS: The Lone Wolf, The Juice, and The Ghosts
Montez Sweat – Grade: B+
The Reality: Montez Sweat is tired, guys. You can see it on his face. He finished with 10.5 sacks and tied for the NFL lead with 3 forced fumbles, but those numbers mask a concerning truth: his 10.8% pressure rate was his lowest since 2021. He faced double teams, chips, and slides every single snap because opposing coordinators looked at the other side of our line and laughed. He wasn’t winning consistently; he was cleaning up messes. I’m giving him a B because he had absolutely zero help. He was Batman without Robin, Alfred, or the Batmobile.
Austin Booker – Grade: B
The Reality: Finally, some juice! Booker is the one bright spot for the future of this pass rush. Despite missing five games with a knee injury, he finished with 4.5 sacks and looked electric late in the season. His 90.0 PFF grade in Week 9 was a revelation. He’s raw, but he’s cheap, fast, and has a ceiling that makes you drool.
Dayo Odeyingbo – Grade: D
The Reality: Ryan Poles, I love you for the offensive rookies, but you owe me an apology for this one. We paid Dayo $48 million over three years expecting a beast, and we got a ghost. He managed just one sack and a pathetic 7.8% pressure rate before tearing his Achilles in Week 8. Before the injury, he was practically invisible. This looks like the worst contract on the books right now.
Dominique Robinson – Grade: C-
The Reality: We’ve been waiting four years for the “athletic traits” to turn into “football plays.” We are still waiting. Robinson posted just 1.5 sacks and 12 solo tackles this season. He is the definition of a rotational body. He’s there. He wears a jersey. He occasionally tackles someone. But if he’s playing significant snaps, your defense is in trouble. He had one nice sack against Dallas, but that was about it.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES: The Baby Bull & The Old Guard
Gervon Dexter Sr. – Grade: B
The Reality: “Baby Bull” is growing up. Six sacks from the interior is grown-man football, and he added 2 fumble recoveries for good measure. He had moments where he looked like Chris Jones, wrecking plays before they started. But then he’d vanish for two quarters. He needs to find consistency, but the arrow is pointing straight up. He thinks he can be one of the best in the league — I’m slowly starting to believe him.
Grady Jarrett – Grade: B-
The Reality: We signed a 32-year-old Grady Jarrett for leadership, and that’s mostly what we got. With just 1.5 sacks and 39 tackles, his days of wrecking game plans solo are over. However, he showed up when it mattered, posting a team-high 82.2 PFF grade in the Wild Card game. He’s the dad of the D-line. Expensive? Yes. Necessary? Probably.
Andrew Billings – Grade: C+
The Reality: Billings isn’t here to get stats; he’s here to eat space. He secured a contract extension because when he’s healthy, our run defense is okay. When he’s not, we get gashed. He’s a specialized tool who doesn’t fill the box score, but a useful one nonetheless.
Chris Williams – Grade: C
The Reality: If you noticed Chris Williams this season, you watch too much film. He’s a warm body who filled gaps when injuries hit, offering replacement-level depth and nothing more.
Shemar Turner – Grade: Incomplete
The Reality: The second-round pick barely got his feet wet before blowing out his knee with a torn ACL in Week 8. Bad luck. See you in 2026, kid.
LINEBACKERS: The Interception Machines & The Heartbreak
Tremaine Edmunds – Grade: B+
The Reality: Bullying works, folks. After years of fans screaming that Edmunds was “too passive,” the coaching staff moved him to Will linebacker, and he turned into a ballhawk. He snagged a career-high 4 interceptions — elite for a linebacker — while still racking up 112 tackles despite missing four games. He stopped thinking and started reacting. This is the guy we thought we were buying two years ago.
T.J. Edwards – Grade: B
The Reality: This one hurts (literally). T.J. was having an All-Pro caliber season last year but this year got bit with the injury bug. He still totally up 67 tackles and a pick-six before he broke his fibula in the Wild Card game. He is the brain of this defense. When he went out, the IQ of the unit dropped 50 points. Get well soon, #53.
D’Marco Jackson – Grade: B-
The Reality: A classic Cinderella story that struck midnight. An undrafted-caliber guy thrust into the lineup, he won NFC Defensive Player of the Week… and then gets absolutely roasted in the playoffs. The Packers targeted him like he had a “Kick Me” sign on his back. Great story, great depth, scary starter.
Noah Sewell – Grade: B-
The Reality: Sewell was finally ascending, recording 54 tackles and hitting hard before an Achilles tear in Week 17 ended his season. He was filling gaps and looking like a real player. The injury luck for this linebacker room was cursed.
Daniel Hardy – Grade: C
The Reality: He played linebacker. He played defensive end. He even played fullback on a Swift touchdown run. With 12 tackles and a bunch of position switches, he’s the Swiss Army Knife you buy at a gas station — not the highest quality, but handy in a pinch.
CORNERBACKS: The Ballhawk, The Bust, & The Band-Aids
Nahshon Wright – Grade: A-
The Reality: Nahshon Wright is the human embodiment of this 2025 defense. He tied for 2nd in the NFL with 5 interceptions and racked up 118 return yards. He is a gambler and a chaos agent. Yes, he gives up yards, but in a league where turnovers are gold, Wright is Midas. Pay the man (don’t back up the Brinks truck though), but maybe teach him to not bite on every double move.
Jaylon Johnson – Grade: C
The Reality: Jaylon… what happened, brother? Two years ago, you were Second-Team All-Pro. This year? You allowed a 72.7% catch rate and reports surfaced of “questionable effort.” For a “lockdown” corner, that is unacceptable. Receivers weren’t scared of him; they were targeting him. Okay okay okay, I know I’m being harsh so let me step back and be positive for a second. Yes, the stats were ugly, but let’s be real: dawg was injured for most of the season, and that probably resulted in the shaky play we saw. Honestly, I should give him a bump in his grade just for the valiant effort to get back on the field after being ruled out for the season. I think he will bounce back to the All-Pro Jaylon Johnson we know after a full, healthy offseason. The $25M cap hit next year is scary, but a healthy Jaylon is worth it.
Tyrique Stevenson – Grade: B-
The Reality: Redemption arc complete. After the Hail Mary disaster of 2024, Stevenson shut his mouth and played football. He was our best corner in the playoffs, earning a 77.2 PFF grade. He’s physical, he’s nasty, and he finally stopped taunting fans during active plays. Progress!
Kyler Gordon – Grade: C+
The Reality: This is the “What If” grade. We paid him $40M to be our slot ace, and he spent most of the season on IR with groin and calf injuries. When he came back for the playoffs, he looked rusty. We need a refund or a healthy 2026.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson – Grade: A-
The Reality: The Mouth of the South arrived in October and immediately injected some swagger into this group, grabbing 2 interceptions in limited time. He knows Dennis Allen’s scheme, he talks trash, and he backed it up. A perfect rental player who stabilized the secondary when bodies were dropping. Ryan Poles best mid-season signing ever.
Nick McCloud – Grade: D+
The Reality: If Nick McCloud is starting, things have gone wrong. Things went wrong. He allowed 4 touchdowns and looked lost. He’s a camp body for next year, at best.
SAFETIES: The Old Man & The Sea of Picks
Kevin Byard III – Grade: A
The Reality: Ryan Poles found the Fountain of Youth, and Kevin Byard drank the whole bottle. Leading the NFL with 7 interceptions at age 32 is insane. He earned First-Team All-Pro honors and was the equalizer for this unit. When the pass rush failed (which was often), Byard was back there reading the quarterback’s mail. He was the MVP of this defense.
Jaquan Brisker – Grade: B-
The Reality: Brisker stayed healthy! That’s the good news. The bad news? He was just… okay, posting a pedestrian 60.4 PFF grade until the playoffs. In the divisional round, he woke up and looked like Kam Chancellor. He’s a “flash” player. High highs, low lows. The real question is… did he do enough for an extension though?
Final Verdict
Overall Defensive Grade: B-
This defense was a paradox. It was fun, it was frustrating, and ultimately, it was flawed.
The Good:
- The Takeaways: 33 takeaways is historic. We stole games we had no business winning.
- The Safety Play: Byard and Brisker (at times) were elite.
- The Resilience: Injuries decimated the linebackers and edge rushers, but they kept fighting.
The Bad:
- The Pass Rush: It’s Montez Sweat and a prayer.
- Yards Allowed: Ranking 29th is embarrassing. You can’t rely on luck forever.
- Jaylon Johnson/Kyler Gordon: Injured. That’s it.
We aren’t a championship defense yet. We’re an opportunistic one. To take the next step in 2026, we need to stop hoping for interceptions and start forcing punts.
Bear Down.