Tag: Noah Sewell

Bears 2023 training camp preview: Linebacker

Next up in our Bears training camp preview is linebacker, a position group that was overhauled drastically this offseason.

Chicago Bears training camp is just around the corner, so it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest.

We’re unveiling our Bears 2023 training camp position previews, breaking down every player by position and examining the group’s biggest question.

Up next are the linebackers, a position group that was overhauled drastically this offseason with the additions of Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. They also drafted rookie Noah Sewell, who will compete with Jack Sanborn for the SAM role.

Here’s a closer look at the Bears’ linebackers heading into training camp:

8 Bears rookies to watch during training camp

There’s plenty of excitement surrounding this Bears rookie class. Here are the most intriguing rookies to watch at training camp.

The Chicago Bears have an intriguing 2023 rookie draft class, headlined by first-round offensive tackle Darnell Wright.

General manager Ryan Poles addressed a slew of needs with his 10 draft picks, where many of these rookies are expected to contribute immediately this season.

As the Bears prepare for training camp later this month, this class of rookies has a lot to prove and learn ahead of some valuable preseason action in August.

Here’s a look at the eight most intriguing Bears rookies to watch during training camp:

Bears 2023 linebacking corps earns high grade from PFF

People have high hopes for the Bears and their revamped linebacker unit.

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The Chicago Bears invested plenty of money in their linebacking corps this offseason and it’s led to high expectations for the upcoming season. One NFL analyst went as far to say it will be one of the best units in all of football.

Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently ranked every linebacker unit in the NFL and has the Bears at No. 2, trailing only the San Francisco 49ers who claimed the top spot for the second consecutive year in his rankings. The Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, and Cincinnati Bengals rounded out the rest of the top five.

Here’s what Wasserman had to say about why he chose the Bears as high as he did.

Chicago’s front seven underperformed in 2022, so the team used free agency to acquire two of the highest-graded players at the position. Tremaine Edmunds arrives from Buffalo after a long-awaited breakout that saw massive increases in his overall (81.9) and coverage (90.0) grades. The latter mark, along with his 10 pass breakups, led all qualified linebackers.

T.J. Edwards comes with less fanfare but was the unsung hero of the Eagles’ elite defense. He played nearly 1,200 snaps and graded above 78.0 against the run, in coverage and as a pass-rusher, which added up to the sixth-best overall grade (81.6) at the position.

Second-year man Jack Sanborn provides a good complement as a rugged, SAM-type linebacker in Matt Eberflus’ 4-3 defense. He showed flashes of talent last year, posting 80.0-plus grades in his last two games.

This group hasn’t played together yet, but the Bears are banking on talent and couldn’t have much more at their disposal.

As Wasserman points out, none of the projected starting linebackers have played together yet but individually, they bring a lot to the table. Edmunds, the prize of free agency for the Bears after signing a four-year, $72 million deal, is still very young at just 25 years old despite entering his sixth NFL season. He has the ideal physical traits for a middle linebacker and has produced in each season, totaling over 100 tackles every year he’s been in the league.

Edwards, meanwhile, signed a three-year $19.7 million deal in free agency and joins Edmunds as a potentially lethal duo. The 26-year old totaled 159 tackles, seventh-most in the NFL last season with 10 tackles for loss. He and Edmunds also each had seven pass breakups, tied for seventh among all linebackers according to data from Pro Football Reference.

They join Sanborn, the lone holdover from the 2022 season who wasn’t even on the radar as a starter last fall. He didn’t get playing time until the Bears dealt Roquan Smith and promptly put on a show as one of the bright spots on defense with his instinctual play. He had 59 tackles in six starts. The Bears also drafted linebacker Noah Sewell in the fifth round this year, who could work his way into the rotation as well.

With training camp yet to begin, this unit is still getting integrated and it could take some time for them to gel. But it’s clear those around the NFL have high hopes for the Bears linebacking corps when the regular season begins.

Projecting the 2023 roles of Bears’ 10 rookie draft picks

Here are our projections about the roles the Bears’ 10 draft picks will serve in their rookie seasons.

The Chicago Bears welcomed 10 new faces to their roster during the 2023 NFL draft, where general manager Ryan Poles found some impact players and got great value.

Whether it was landing studs like Darnell Wright, Gervon Dexter, Tyrique Stevenson and Zacch Pickens on the first two days or finding great value on Day 3 with Roschon Johnson, Tyler Scott, Noah Sewell and Terell Smith, Poles’ second draft class has the potential to be an impactful one.

With that in mind, here are our projections about the roles that the Bears’ 10 draft picks will serve in their rookie seasons.

7 Bears veterans who could lose their jobs to rookies

Some Bears veterans should be on notice with incoming rookies who could challenge them for their jobs.

The Chicago Bears have overhauled their roster ahead of the 2023 NFL season, where general manager Ryan Poles has added some veterans and rookies who could have significant impacts.

When looking at the 2023 NFL draft in particular, Poles appeared to draft (or sign) rookies who should contribute immediately. In fact, some of those players could challenge established veterans for their jobs.

Training camp and preseason will present some intriguing position battles that will have big implications on the depth chart.

From Cairo Santos to Kindle Vildor to Jack Sanborn, here are some Bears veterans who should be on notice with incoming rookies challenging them for their jobs.

Predicting the Bears’ prime-time matchups in 2023

Which Bears games will be featured in prime time this season? We make our predictions ahead of the 2023 schedule release.

The annual NFL schedule extravaganza is finally upon us and soon, fans of every team will learn when and where they will play their opponents during the 2023 season. The NFL is set to announce the complete schedule for the 2023 season this Thursday at 7 p.m. CT. That announcement also includes the prime-time schedule, where specific matchups will be picked to be featured nationally on Thursday nights, Sunday nights, Monday nights, some Saturday nights, and special holidays.

For the Chicago Bears, national interest may appear to be lower than in previous years. They were the worst team in 2022, coming off a 3-14 record, and weren’t particularly competitive to close out the year. But with a young nucleus led by quarterback Justin Fields and a team that looks revamped following a busy spring, the Bears could be in more for more prime-time slots than we think. Chicago has had three or more games featured in prime time every season dating back to 2016 and there’s no reason to think that changes this year.

Here are our predictions for the Bears’ 2023 prime-time matchups.

Bears 2023 fifth-round pick: LB Noah Sewell

The Bears selected LB Noah Sewell in the fifth round of the NFL draft. Here’s a quick rundown on Sewell:

The Chicago Bears selected Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell with the 148th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Here’s a quick rundown on Sewell:

Height: 6-1
Weight: 246
Age: 22
From: Malaeimi, American Samoa

Breakdown: A hard-hitting, pass-rushing linebacker, Sewell is elite when asked to play between the tackles. However, he struggles in pass coverage and lacks the range to play in space as required in modern defenses. At Oregon, he wasn’t asked to cover defenders much on passing plays, and right now looks like a two-down linebacker. — Nate Atkins

Dane Brugler’s scouting report: “A three-year starter at Oregon, Sewell played MIKE linebacker in head coach Dan Lanning’s 3-4 base scheme. He was physically ready for big-time college football the moment he arrived in Eugene and quickly stepped out of his older brother Penei’s shadow, leading the Ducks in tackles as a freshman and sophomore. However, he lacked the same energy and on-field impact as a junior and wasn’t the team’s leading tackler in any game in 2022 (had six games of 10+ tackles in 2021 compared to zero in 2022). Sewell is a thick, powerful backer with the point-of-attack strength to fill, stack and strike. However, his reactionary athleticism and play range are mediocre, and he struggles to consistently stay ahead of both run and pass plays. Overall, Sewell doesn’t have the tape of a modern-day playmaker with clear limitations in man coverage, but he thumps downhill with the physicality, pedigree and competitive spirit to make plays between the tackles. He projects as a rookie backup who can become a valuable role player – off-the-ball on early downs and rushing off the edge on passing downs.”

Lance Zierlein’s scouting report: “Inside ‘backer possessing throwback demeanor as a physical but limited prospect. Sewell has good power to take on blocks and muddy the middle, but his lack of pursuit speed and change-of-direction quickness prevent him from consistently making the stop. He needs to become more anticipatory and read play development more effectively, as he’s missing the tools necessary to overcome missteps.”

They said it: “I called our linebackers coach and said he was spoiled because he’s got so many good players in his room,” Poles said. “That’s going to be a really competitive room with a bunch of good guys, and [Sewell] is going to help us in many different ways.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles

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Highlights

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Bears sign four rookie draft picks to contracts

The Bears signed four rookies to four-year deals, including Noah Sewell, Terell Smith, Travis Bell and Kendall Williamson.

The Chicago Bears signed four rookie draft picks to four-year contracts ahead of this weekend’s rookie minicamp.

That included fifth-round linebacker Noah Sewell and cornerback Terell Smith, as well as seventh-round defensive tackle Travis Bell and safety Kendall Williamson.

Sewell, a three-year starter at Oregon, has the potential to be a steal for the Bears. He’s a high-motor, hard-hitting linebacker, who will provide solid depth on this Bears defense.

Smith has a nice combination of size (6-1, 204-pounds), speed (4.41), and length (32 7/8) that Matt Eberflus will love. He’s got developmental upside and could prove to be a late-round steal for Chicago.

Bell, the first player drafted from Kennesaw State in NFL history, provides depth to the defensive line. He’s the kind of high-character guy that Ryan Poles covets.

Williamson, drafted one spot before Mr. Irrelevant, was a great late-round addition. He’s a high-energy player who has real value on special teams.

The Bears have six draft picks who remain unsigned: offensive tackle Darnell Wright, defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, running back Roschon Johnson and wide receiver Tyler Scott.

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Scouting reports for Bears 2023 rookie draft class

Here’s a look at scouting reports for every player in the Bears’ 2023 rookie draft class.

The Chicago Bears welcomed 10 new rookies to the roster during the 2023 NFL draft, where general manager Ryan Poles addressed some important needs.

That started with right tackle Darnell Wright in the first round and continued on Day 2 with defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens, as well as cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.

Chicago also found great value on Day 3 with running back Roschon Johnson, wide receiver Tyler Scott, linebacker Noah Sewell, cornerback Terell Smith, defensive tackle Travis Bell and safety Kendall Williamson.

Here’s a look at scouting reports for each of Chicago’s rookie draft class from our Nate Atkins, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.

1 thing to know about each Bears 2023 draft pick

Get to know each member of the 2023 Bears draft class.

The dust has settled on the Chicago Bears 2023 draft class and the players selected are gearing up to get started in the rookie mini camp. The Bears and general manager Ryan Poles drafted 10 players last weekend who will hopefully help the franchise turn the corner and become relevant again sooner rather than later.

The picks were as follows:

  • Tackle Darnell Wright (first round, pick No. 10)
  • Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (second round, pick No. 53)
  • Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (second round, pick No. 56)
  • Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (third round, pick No. 64)
  • Running back Roschon Johnson (fourth round, pick No. 115)
  • Wide receiver Tyler Scott (fourth round, pick No. 133)
  • Linebacker Noah Sewell (fifth round, pick No. 148)
  • Cornerback Terell Smith (fifth round, pick No. 165)
  • Defensive tackle Travis Bell (seventh round, pick No. 218)
  • Safety Kendall Williamson (seventh round, pick No. 258)

Some players like Wright have been discussed at nauseum leading up to the draft. Other players like Smith and Bell, however, could be relatively unknown to the casual fan. Here is one thing to know about each Bears draft pick.