Chicago Bears Give Defensive Line Another Quality Jolt
If it wasn’t already clear before, it is now. The Chicago Bears have aimed to fortify their defensive tackle position throughout this off-season. It started with signing Andrew Billings in free agency. Then in the draft, they selected Gervon Dexter (2nd), Zacch Pickens (3rd), and Travis Bell (7th). While star power might not be there yet, the depth already appeared so much better. Well, GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus decided to improve that situation even further.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Bears claimed veteran defensive tackle Bravvion Roy off waivers from the Carolina Panthers. He was a 6th round pick out of Baylor in the 2020 draft. Over three seasons, he played in 45 games, started 15, collected 76 tackles, three tackles for a loss, and one sack. It looks like he is quality depth for the nose tackle position, given his thick 330 lbs frame. However, his college tape shows somebody with some potential untapped interior pass rush ability.
The Chicago Bears’ interest in Roy isn’t difficult to understand.
While he is short for a defensive tackle at 6’1, he is a thick dude who is surprisingly athletic. He clocked a 4.90 in the 40-yard dash coming out of Baylor. Again, he is 330 lbs. That quickness shows up a lot on film and can be particularly dangerous when allowed to shoot gaps or run stunts. Eberflus’ defense loves running twists and stunts. So it makes sense they’d target players that can do this. Roy had 5.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss during his senior year at Baylor. It’s fair to wonder if the Panthers ever utilized his skillset properly.
All that aside, the Chicago Bears have added another quality depth piece to their defensive tackle spot on the cheap. Roy will compete with Bell and Andrew Brown for the final open spot on the roster behind Justin Jones, Billings, Dexter, and Pickens. The Bears have said they love competition. They never waste opportunities to add more. Roy is the sort of high-octane player that fits their style. He will bring more juice to training camp and hopefully push others around him.