Shaw Local’s 2021 Bears report card: Linebackers

Linebacker was a real strength for the Bears in 2021 – mainly because Roquan Smith had another All Pro-caliber season – in spite of a fair amount of turmoil at the position.

[ Shaw Local’s 2021 Bears report card: Edge rusher ]

There was hope former fourth-round pick Joel Iyiegbuniwe would emerge in his fourth season. The team also added former Bear Christian Jones as a free agent during the spring to provide depth both inside and outside, and with Danny Trevathan returning from 2020 knee problems, the depth chart looked solid.

It got even stronger when the Bears added fee agent Alec Ogletree a week into training camp as insurance for a slow start from Trevathan while still rehabbing his knee.

Journeymen Cassius Marsh and Bruce Irvin were added during the season.

[ Shaw Local’s 2021 Bears report card: Defensive line ]

Positives: Smith was once again one of the NFL’s best, equally adept stuffing the run, chasing it down, dropping into coverage and blitzing the quarterback.

He’s also emerged as a true student of the game and the defense’s leader, calling all the signals and making regular adjustments.

Ogletree quickly played his way into shape and became one of the defense’s top producers, second only to Smith in tackles. He tied for third in passes defensed and tied for fourth in tackles for loss.

Jones played well in both rotation and filling in regularly when injuries hit.

Negatives: Trevathan was never able to make a full recovery and played in just five games sandwiched between two stints on injured reserve.

Iyiegbuniwe proved to be nothing more than a solid special teams guy.

Other than an infamous star turn against his former team in Pittsburgh, Marsh and Irvin, who appears to have nothing left in the tank, were pretty much nonfactors.

Defining moments: 1. Uncertain about Trevathan’s knee and lacking depth and competition at inside linebacker, one week into training camp the Bears signed free agent Ogletree.

2. Following the final preseason game against the Titans, Trevathan went on short-term I.R. and was designated to return from knee soreness.

He was activated prior to the Week 5 game against the Raiders but reinjured the knee in Week 9 against. the Steelers. He rested during the bye week that followed and then was put on season-ending I.R. on the Friday before the Week 11 game against the Ravens.

3. After the Bears had rallied from a 20-6 deficit in the third quarter to close the score to 23-20 in favor of the Steelers in that Week 9 game, with 3:40 to play and the Steelers facing third-and-8 at the Bears’ 47-yard-line, Marsh, who signed the Wednesday before the game with Ogletree battling a gimpy ankle, sacked Ben Roethlisberger for a 7-yard loss to force a punt.

But Marsh was flagged for a phantom taunting call that not only allowed the Steelers to keep the ball but advanced them into field-goal range, setting up a 52-yard field goal even though the Bears followed the taunting penalty by forcing a three-and-out.

Those three points proved to be the difference in the Steelers’ 29-27 victory.

Grade: B+

Contract status: Ogletree, Jones, Iyiegbuniwe, Marsh and Irvin are all free agents.

Smith, Trevathan and 2021 undrafted rookie free agent Caleb Johnson are the only inside linebackers currently under contract.

The plan: This is a tough one to call with the Bears switching to a base 4-3 defense and not knowing whether Matt Eberflus will leave Smith in the middle or move him to the Will linebacker spot as is expected.

Trevathan can certainly play the Mike, but he appears more likely to be a cap casualty, leaving the Bears in search of starters and depth in the middle and at the Sam linebacker spot that didn’t really exist in the 3-4.

Johnson is actually very interesting, but it’s hard to project him from the bottom of the roster to the starting lineup.

Linebacker is actually a position the Chiefs have rarely invested significant resources in but whether general manager Ryan Poles brings that practice and those beliefs with him from K.C. is unknown.

Ogletree and Jones wouldn’t strain the checkbook if Poles wants to bring one or both back, and De’Vondre Campbell, Anthony Walker Jr., Anthony Barr, Alex Anzalone and Ja’Whaun Bentley are free agents to keep an eye on.