Dennis Allen Has One Significant Quirk That Complicates Bears Draft Plans
When discussing the Chicago Bears’ 2026 draft plans, most agree that the primary focus will be on the defense. Left tackle is the only position the team has to worry about offensively. Meanwhile, they have several unanswered questions on the defensive side. Both starting safeties will be free agents this year. Tremaine Edmudns was just granted permission to seek a trade. That basically means he’ll get cut if his agents can’t find a taker. Then you have the defensive line. Andrew Billings is a free agent. Dayo Odeyingbo is recovering from an Achilles tear. Dennis Allen needs help on that side of the ball.
The Bears’ defensive coordinator is certain to have a strong voice in the evaluation process. It’s his unit after all. General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson will receive his input on types of players he’d prefer at every position, then adjust their draft board accordingly. Here is where things get complicated. Quinten Krzysko of On Tap Sports pointed out something noteworthy. If you follow Allen’s long career as a defensive coordinator and head coach, he tends to build his defensive lines a specific way.
This has led to a rather unique quirk regarding defensive tackles his teams have drafted over the past 15 years.
Dennis Allen is very particular with his defensive tackles.
The data backs up what Krzysko says. Since 2012, every defensive tackle taken in the first three rounds of the draft, while Allen ran the unit, was under 300 lbs. They were known for their athleticism, quickness, and violence. The one correction is that technically the picks don’t go over 300 lbs until the 4th round, not the 6th. Still, the point is pretty clear. Allen doesn’t think it’s necessary to target bigger defensive tackles early in the draft. You have favorable odds of landing one later on.
| Player | Year | Team | Role | Round | Weight (lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan Bresee | 2023 | New Orleans Saints | Head Coach | 1st | 298 |
| Sheldon Rankins | 2016 | New Orleans Saints | Defensive Coordinator | 1st | 299 |
| Shemar Turner | 2025 | Chicago Bears | Defensive Coordinator | 2nd | 290 |
| David Onyemata | 2016 | New Orleans Saints | Defensive Coordinator | 4th | 300 |
| Justin Ellis | 2014 | Oakland Raiders | Head Coach | 4th | 334 |
| Tyeler Davison | 2015 | New Orleans Saints | Defensive Coordinator | 5th | 316 |
| Khristian Boyd | 2024 | New Orleans Saints | Head Coach | 6th | 320 |
| Jordan Jackson | 2022 | New Orleans Saints | Head Coach | 6th | 294 |
| Stacy McGee | 2013 | Oakland Raiders | Head Coach | 6th | 310 |
| Christo Bilukidi | 2012 | Oakland Raiders | Head Coach | 6th | 290 |
It isn’t a coincidence that Allen’s best defensive unit of his career, the 2020 Saints, finished in the top five in total interior pressures. The combination of David Onyemata and Sheldon Rankins created havoc in the middle. Unfortunately, Rankins left after that season, and the defense took a dip. It’s becoming clear why the Bears pursued Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency. Both fit the exact types of players that Allen built that Saints defense with. One should expect that plan to continue in this draft.
The Bears face a problem in this regard.
Knowing this information, it’s only natural to look at the 2026 draft class and seek out the top defensive tackles who come in at 300 lbs or less. There is one problem. None of the top options in the draft currently fit those criteria. When looking at all five of the names expected to be in the mix for the 1st round this year, three of them are over 320. That leaves Peter Woods of Clemson (listed at 298). As of now, he is the only one who fits the criteria. Christen Miller of Georgia, originally listed at 305, came in at 321 at the combine.
| Player | School | Weight (lbs) | Projected Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Banks | Florida | 335 | 1–2 |
| Kayden McDonald | Ohio State | 326 | 1–2 |
| Lee Hunter | Texas Tech | 325 | 1–2 |
| Peter Woods | Clemson | 298 | 1–2 |
| Christen Miller | Georgia | 321 | 1–2 |
| L.T. Overton | Alabama | 283 | 2–3 |
| Darrell Jackson Jr. | Florida State | 337 | 2–3 |
| Dontay Corleone | Cincinnati | 335 | 2–3 |
| Chris McClellan | Missouri | 320 | 2–4 |
| DeMonte Capehart | Clemson | 320 | 2–4 |
| Gracen Halton | Oklahoma | 290 | 2–4 |
| Domonique Orange | Iowa State | 335 | 3–5 |
| Tim Keenan III | Alabama | 326 | 3–5 |
| Cameron Ball | Arkansas | 324 | 3–5 |
| Brandon Cleveland | NC State | 300 | 3–5 |
| Rayshaun Benny | Michigan | 296 | 3–5 |
| Zane Durant | Penn State | 290 | 4–5 |
| Albert Regis | Texas A&M | 310 | 4–6 |
| Jackie Marshall | Baylor | 290 | 7–UDFA |
This could mean one of two things. The first possibility is that Dennis Allen might have to compromise on his standards by a few pounds. It isn’t crazy to think he could get one of those guys to shed some weight, slimming them down to gain some quickness. If not, then the Bears may have to wait on finding that defensive tackle until day two, when guys like Grace Halton come into play. It is an interesting dilemma for the Bears to sort through, and much depends on if they think dropping weight might negatively impact Woods’s games.
The Gervon Dexter situation makes this even more interesting.
Word came out on Thursday that teams are calling the Bears about the 24-year-old defensive tackle. It makes some sense. He’s coming off a career-best six sacks, but has just one year left on his contract and isn’t a great fit for the scheme Dennis Allen runs. With so much money already invested on the line, it is unlikely the team will want to pay him. That leaves them with two options. They either trade Gervon Dexter now or let him play out his contract and leave as a free agent in 2027, likely netting them a future compensatory pick.
If they go the former route, it makes defensive tackle in the 1st round a virtual certainty. That creates a problem. If Peter Woods goes before the 25th pick, which is a strong possibility, none of the remaining options meet Allen’s criteria for the position. That means they’d have to draft somebody out of his comfort zone or reach for somebody who would not be considered 1st round material. Neither of those options feel like the proper way to build a roster.