The Chicago Bears have done a very good job addressing the needs that they had entering the 2023 NFL Draft. After how poorly they performed on the defensive side of the ball in 2022, they made it a point to use plenty of their assets on positions there.
Chicago has added to each level of their defense thus far in the draft, selecting two defensive tackles, two cornerbacks and one inside linebacker. There may not be a team that has committed as many resources to the inside linebacker position as the Bears this offseason, but there was a lot of work that needed to be done.
The Bears were abysmal at stopping the run last season, ranking 31st in rushing yards allowed. Free agent signings Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards will help turn that around immediately at the second level. As will draft picks Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens.
Another player to keep an eye on from this year’s draft class is linebacker, Noah Sewell. His pick drew rave reviews from Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports, giving the selection an A.
“Sewell is a thick, old-school framed LB who actually made a fair amount of plays in coverage in college but that’s not his specialty. Gets downhill and when he does, look out. Power galore. Love this as an early-down depth piece behind Edmunds and Edwards.”
What does Sewell bring to the table? There are a few things to know about the Oregon product, led by the good awareness that he brings to the field. As noted by Trapasso, he has good size for the linebacker position as well.
His playing experience is an added bonus and while he isn’t lauded for his work in the passing game, he does a good job of impacting the passing lanes. He brings more in coverage than people think, which will help him get on the field early in his career.
While an outside linebacker was a bigger need than another player inside, the Bears are making sure that they have the pieces to shore up their run defense. It was their biggest issue in 2022 and they will see massive improvements in that area in 2023. Noah Sewell was a perfect pick for Chicago.
