The Chicago Bears have been a much-improved defensive unit since their return from the bye week. They continue to force a ton of turnovers despite being short-handed in a few key positions. One key absence they have been dealing with is veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Missing the last three games with a knee injury, the Bears' offseason addition is finally back to being a full participant in practice this week and should be in line to return to the lineup on Sunday.
This will change the rotation in the interior defensive line. After starting the season with a three-DT rotation with Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., and Andrew Billings, the Bears have been increasing the snap share of Dexter and Billings in Jarrett's absence. With the return of the 32-year-old defender, Billings will likely get phased out in the second half of the season.
Bears News: Grady Jarrett Is Returning to Action in Week 8
Dexter has been in the midst of a breakout season. He has seen his workload increase in the last three weeks, but he has responded very well to his growing role. He delivered 1.5 sacks, seven tackles, and a QB hit in that span and has increased his Pro Football Focus defensive grades for the season to 67.7, putting him 29th-best interior defender among 125 eligible players.
Billings, who has also seen an increased workload, playing over 50% of the team's defensive snaps in the last three games, however, has been less impactful. He has only one tackle for loss, and no sacks or QB hits. He currently has a 58.0 defensive grade on PFF, his lowest since joining the Bears before the 2023 season.
When the Bears signed Jarrett to a three-year, $43.5 million contract in the offseason -a deal many thought was an overpay- they were hoping for him to be the starter and play as many snaps as he could handle. He played 82% of the team's defensive snaps in Week 1, but lost some of those snaps to backup Chris Williams in the ensuing weeks, lowering Jarrett's snaps to less than 60%.
This constant search to find the right combination has resulted in the Bears' struggles in stopping the run. The Bears give up more yards per carry than all but one team in the NFL and are a bottom-five unit in rushing yards allowed. Billings' getting squeezed out in favor of Jarrett will hopefully turn things around for Chicago's run defense. Going up against Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson in Week 8 will be a big test right away.