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The Chicago Bears have one fewer spot in their defensive end rotation after trading for Seattle’s Darrell Taylor, but head coach Matt Eberflus may have just confirmed another pass rusher on the roster bubble will make the team in 2024.
During his post-practice press conference on August 25, Eberflus fielded a question about Taylor and how many reps the team envisions him playing for their defense in 2024. Specifically, he was asked whether Taylor could receive “the bulk of the reps” at the other defensive end position opposite Pro Bowl pass rusher Montez Sweat.
“I think it’ll be rotational and then we’ll play the hot hand,” Eberflus said. “Like I said, I feel really good about all the guys who are out there right now: [Austin] Booker, Dom [Robinson] and [DeMarcus Walker] and all those guys that are playing with Tez on the one side. We’ll just see, make it a competition, see who’s hot and let ’em rush.”
Eberflus name-dropping Robinson stands out. The 2022 fifth-round pick has been vying for a depth role in the Bears’ defensive end rotation for the upcoming season, but his struggles in 2023 — 12 total tackles and a half-sack in 11 games — had firmly landed him on the roster bubble with the team heading into his third NFL training camp.
More curiously, Robinson has seemingly fallen behind some of his competition during the 2024 preseason. Daniel Hardy produced 14 pressures, 3.5 sacks, nine quarterback hurries and eight total tackles over 109 defensive snaps played this preseason, whereas Robinson tallied just two pressures, two hurries and one tackle on 61 defensive snaps.
Could Robinson get one more season to make things work in Chicago, though? Eberflus’ comments make it seem more likely than not, even if the on-field results say otherwise.
Matt Eberflus Likes Darrell Taylor’s Sack Production
Eberflus also spoke about the trades the Bears have made in the days since they capped their preseason schedule with a 34-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on August 22.
The Bears traded a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for Taylor on August 23, then flipped another sixth-rounder — they owned three — to the Cleveland Browns for defensive tackle Chris Williams on August 24 to fortify defensive line depth.
Eberflus has familiarity with Williams. He coached him during his time as Indianapolis’ defensive coordinator and believes he has done a “really good job of refining his skill set and pass rusher” in the years since he left to take the head coaching job in Chicago. As for Taylor, Eberflus simply sees “a really good edge guy” with great sack production.
“He’s had real good sack production and we feel good about that,” Eberflus said. “I think he brings a different skill set than we have out there in terms of the way he rushes. What I like most about him is his motor; he’s got a great motor, he finishes. He needs some refinement at the top of the rush — which we’ll work on that — but he pursues and does the things … that we expect and what we hold guys accountable to.”
Taylor did damage as a rotational pass rusher for the Seahawks, recording 21.5 sacks and 91 total tackles in 49 career games over the past three seasons. Whether he slots in behind Booker or Walker opposite Sweat or earns a healthier share of playing time, he should add value to the Bears’ edge-rushing rotation for the 2024 season.
Dominique Robinson Might Add Versatility for Bears
Robinson’s lack of career production might make him seem like a strange choice for the Bears to keep on their 53-man roster for the 2024 season, but it is critical to remember that Eberflus is a big fan of having versatility in his defensive trenches.
Ideally, the Bears will want to have a mix of lighter, quicker pass rushers and heavier, power-rushing guys who can help them vary their pass-rush attacks. At 245 pounds, Booker is a lighter guy who wins more frequently with his fast hands and quick moves Sweat has more size (262 pounds) and power but he also relies on a speedster’s skill set.
That leaves Walker — who is 280 pounds — as their primary power-rushing end with no other pass rushers on the roster offering as much size … except for Robinson.
Robinson put effort into bulking up during the 2024 offseason. While he is listed at 253 pounds on the team’s active roster, he told reporters on August 13 that he entered camp weighing 273 pounds with 8% body fat. His bulk alone will not win him a spot on the 53-man roster, but perhaps the Bears are more pleased with his development and what they are seeing from him in practice than fans can see in limited preseason showings.
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