Chicago Bears: Predicting the 2017 53-man roster before training camp

Inside Linebacker

Starters: Jerrell Freeman and Nick Kwiatkoski

Backups: John Timu and Christian Jones

PUP: Danny Trevathan

Still recovering from a knee injury suffered late last season, Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan seems like a likely bet to start the season on the PUP list. This will force Trevathan out of action for at least the first six games of the season. Obviously, not an ideal situation.

However, his running mate, Jerrell Freeman is back, healthy and ready to dominate like he did last season. Freeman was fantastic for the Bears in 2016, leading the team with 86 tackles, despite only playing in 12 games.

Freeman is an elite run defender who can mix it up inside and also defend from sideline-to-sideline. He also shows above average skills in pass coverage. Freeman flying around and making plays behind the Bears’ defensive line is a recipe for success.

A fourth-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft, Nick Kwiatkoski would likely step in as the starter in Trevathan’s absence. Kwiatkoski is an athletic inside linebacker who fits the modern game extremely well. he is not much of a banger on the inside, but his ability in pass coverage and in space against the run is impressive.

Kwiatkoski also shows the ability to create pressure on the quarterback from the inside. I would not call it likely, but Kwiatkoski certainly has the ability to take over the starting inside linebacker spot next to Freeman full-time in Trevathan’s absence.

John Timu and Christian Jones are both solid depth players who can make an impact on special teams. Timu would probably be the next to get a shot at inside linebacker, but Jones’ ability to play outside linebacker may make him the more valuable player. Jonathan Anderson will compete for a backup inside linebacker job in training camp, but Jones and Timu have the edge over him.