How Dennis Allen’s aggressive play calling could revitalize the Chicago Bears’ defense

Back in January, Ben Johnson faced an important decision not long after the Bears hired him to be their new head coach.

Not only did Johnson have to find a defensive coordinator who could help the Bears’ defense reach its full potential after a disappointing season. But he also needed to find someone who would support him as a first-time head coach.

Dennis Allen filled all those qualities. Many in the NFL recognized Allen as one of its top defensive coordinators. He also had served as a head coach with the Oakland Raiders and New Orleans Saints.

But it quickly became clear that the two shared a characteristic when Allen first met with reporters after being hired in January. They’re both very aggressive.

“I think we want to be an attacking aggressive style of defense,” Allen said in January. “We want to take the fight to the offense and not let the offense dictate the tempo to us. We’re going to be aggressive; we’re going to challenge everything.”

That mindset matched Johnson’s score-as-many-points mentality offensively. It’s also one Johnson and Allen believed would help bring out the best from the Bears defense.

The Bears’ defense showed signs of regression last season after a promising end to the 2023 season. After limiting opponents to 17 points per game in their first seven games last year, opponents scored an average of 25.1 points in their last 10 games. The Bears gave up an average of 26 points per game in the six games after former head coach Matt Eberflus was fired.

Many of those struggles stemmed from inconsistent pressure from the defensive line. The Bears had the league’s fifth-worst run defense, allowing 136.6 rushing yards per game. They also struggled to get to the quarterback, finishing the year with 40 sacks, which was tied for the 16th-most.

Those are numbers Allen will try to flip with his aggressive play calling. During his last season as the Saints’ defensive coordinator in 2021, the Saints allowed the fourth-least rushing yards per game and sacked the quarterback 46 times, the eighth-most in the league.

“If we stop the run, then everything opens up for the defense,” safety Kevin Byard said. “Those guys can pin their ears back, get after the quarterback, and then you start making plays. Once you get a good front four that can pretty much stop the run and also get after the quarterback and everybody’s going to sit in the zone, make plays, get interceptions. We’re going to attack, and it’s going to start with those guys up front.”

Bears general manager Ryan Poles reflected the urgency of addressing the defensive line with his offseason acquisitions. He signed defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and edge Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency and drafted tackle Shemar Turner in the second round.

Poles, Johnson and Allen will use the next month of organized team activities and minicamp and July’s training camp to see whether they have enough to create that pressure. The Bears believe attacking in waves from the middle will open things on the edge, something that teams like the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles mastered.

Along with Jarrett and Turner in the middle at tackle, the Bears are expected to rely on rotations of their returning starters. Andrew Billings, who missed the last nine games of last year due to a pectoral tear, was a big presence in the run defense when he played. The Bears also are waiting for 2023 draft picks Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens to take a big step.

“I think we want to be an attacking aggressive style of defense. We want to take the fight to the offense and not let the offense dictate the tempo to us. We’re going to be aggressive; we’re going to challenge everything.”

—  Dennis Allen, Chicago Bears defensive coordinator

If the middle can pressure, Allen expects that to make things easier on defensive end Montez Sweat. The Bears also will need both Odeyingbo and last year’s fifth-round pick Austin Booker to continue their developments to take advantage of the attention Sweat will draw from offensive coaches.

Allen reinforced the idea of being aggressive during the first two phases of the offseason. Much like Allen has matched Johnson’s aggressive style in play calling, players have said he’s also matched the head coach’s aggressive style toward accountability.

“What is refreshing is working with a coach that has such a high standard for what he expects, and the detail, with the work to back it up, the resumé to back it up, and to be able to just learn from a great defensive mind, I’m really appreciating,” Jarrett said. “That’s something that I’m definitely taking from this experience, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us.”

Allen is hoping that it leads to the defense taking advantage of its talented secondary. The Bears will play more man-to-man coverage in Allen’s defense and Byard believed starting cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson had the speed to keep up with any receiver in the league.

If the line can get going, Byard expects the secondary to repeat its success from 2023 when the Bears tied for the most interceptions in the NFL with 22.

“I really like the addition of [Allen], the defense and different things we’re going to do, being able to mix it up,” Byard said. “Not just play man, but be able to have a lot of different things we’re going to do package wise. I think it’s going to be fun. It’s been fun so far.”