Get to know T.J Edwards and how he fits in Chicago.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards, a Chicago-area native and the 43rd-ranked free agent, is returning home to lead the Chicago Bears' defense. On Monday, the first day of the NFL's free-agency negotiation window, the Bears and Edwards agreed on a three-year, $19.5 million deal, according to NFL Network.
The Bears are adding a tackling machine to their team. Edwards led the Philadelphia Eagles with 159 tackles last season, tying him for the seventh-most tackles in the league. At 27 years old, he is entering the prime of his career. Despite going undrafted out of Wisconsin in 2019, he became a full-time starter by his second year.
In addition to being a top performer, Edwards is expected to have a leadership role with the Bears, just as he did as the Eagles' defensive signal-caller. Last season, Philadelphia's defense ranked second in total yards and eighth in scoring.
According to Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis, Edwards has improved in every aspect of the game. Rallis told The Athletic's Zach Berman during last season that Edwards has excellent tackling skills and rarely misses tackles in the open field, which is one of the hardest things for a defensive player to do.
Edwards is a former undrafted player out of Wisconsin, who became a full-time starter for the Eagles in his second year. He led Philadelphia in tackles last season with 159, which was the seventh-most in the league. At 27, Edwards is entering the prime of his career and is expected to play a leadership role for the Bears.
While the weakside linebacker position remains open for the Bears, Edwards is expected to play middle linebacker in the team's base defensive scheme. This may result in changes for Jack Sanborn, another former Wisconsin teammate of Edwards. Sanborn excelled as the Bears' middle linebacker last season after Roquan Smith was traded and Nicholas Morrow was moved to the weak side. Morrow is an unrestricted free agent, so his future with the team remains uncertain.
Despite the changes, the Bears remain high on Sanborn, who made 59 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, and three QB hits in six starts last season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. He also had an interception negated by a penalty.
It's worth noting that Edwards and Sanborn were coached by the same high school coach, Luke Mertens, at different Chicago suburban schools. Mertens coached Edwards at Lakes High and Sanborn at Lake Zurich. The two players are reportedly close off the field, and Mertens believes they are similar on it.
Edwards, ranked 43rd in The Athletic's top 150 free agents, is a tackling machine who led the Eagles with 159 tackles last season and is expected to have a leadership role in the Bears' defense. However, the signing raises questions about the roles of Jack Sanborn and Nicholas Morrow, and changes could be coming for the Bears' defensive scheme. Despite Edwards' arrival, the Bears still have one of the worst defensive lines in the league, and improving the defense will require more investment in free agency and the draft.
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13 MARS | 52 ANSWERS Get to know T.J Edwards and how he fits in Chicago. Are you happy about Ryan Poles' first move of signing T.J. Edwards? | ||
| Yes | 50 | 96.2 % |
| No | 2 | 3.8 % |
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