2. They strengthened their pass rush
Chicago’s pass rush had its share of struggles in 2019. Outside linebacker Khalil Mack saw a dip in production last season, where he had 8.5 sacks and 45 quarterback pressures. Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, who plays a big role in forcing pressure up the middle, had just nine quarterback pressures in an injury-shortened season where he only played five games. Then there was outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, who had a career-low three sacks and 39 quarterback pressures.
But with the release of Floyd and free-agent acquisition of outside linebacker Robert Quinn, the Bears pass rush immediately got an upgrade. Quinn is coming off an impressive year with the Dallas Cowboys, where he had 11.5 sacks, 49 quarterback pressures and the second-highest pressure rate of 14.0%. The Bears also get a boost with Hicks returning from injury this season.
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