The Chicago Bears have made a flurry of moves this offseason. That isn't a shocker considering Ben Johnson took over as head coach.
Fans are looking forward to a new era and seeing the additions they made out on the football field. While they brought in new guys, they also had several players leave in free agency. They are looking to make a mark at their new destinations, and DT Byron Cowart is doing that with the New York Jets.
Byron Cowart Had a Good Spring With the New York Jets
In March, he signed a one-year, $1.337 million deal with the Jets. Cowart spent the 2024 season with the Bears, where he had 26 total tackles, five TFLs, four QB hits, and 2.5 sacks. He was a rotation piece for Chicago, suiting up in 35% of the defensive snaps.
Now it looks like he could be lined up to be a starter in New York. The Jets have Quinnen Williams as the starter at defensive tackle, but need someone to play alongside him after Javon Kinlaw left in free agency.
Throughout OTAs and minicamp, Cowart has been effective, and his athleticism is sticking out. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, Cowart looks like a frontrunner to fill the void. He will be competing against Jay Tufele and Derrick Nnadi.
Cowart provides the most juice as a pass rusher. In 51 career games (21 starts), he had 67 total tackles, 10 TFLs, seven QB hits, and 3.5 sacks. These numbers aren't eye-popping, but it looks like he's taken advantage of being in a new environment. Hopefully for his sake, he can continue making strides before the 2025 season.
Meanwhile, in the Windy City, they upgraded along the interior, adding Grady Jarrett and Shemar Turner. They join Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings, and Zacch Pickens.
With everyone preparing for the 2025, it looks like both sides are happy the way things turned out.