Bears re-sign veteran linebacker Dylan Cole |
It is no secret that the Bears played an ugly game against the Packers on Sunday with plenty of blame to go around. You can start with the offensive line and their inability to do much of anything, forcing the debate of changes to be made. You also have the inconsistent play of Justin Fields in the passing game, although a lot of that falls on the shoulders of the playcaller and the plays being called.
One more area to look at is the defensive side of the ball, where the Bears continued to struggle when it mattered the most. This was their most significant area of need heading into the offseason, and Ryan Poles made many moves to address the defense. While most of his moves appeared to be the right ones on paper, if they don't pan out, you will get results like Sunday, which is not a good thing. Immediately after losing to the Packers, Poles decided to add some depth to his defense as they re-signed veteran LB Dyaln Cole back to the Bears. In case Cole sounds familiar, it would be due to the fact he was with this team this summer and had his contract terminated 24 hours before the Bears season opener. The 29-year-old was dealing with a hamstring injury for three weeks, which is why the Bears released him, but here we are 72 hours later, and he is back with the team. The six-year veteran has never been a starter in this league, and that won't change in Chicago, but he is a very valuable depth piece that has seen action in 61 games, with nine coming as starts. Most of those games came as a member of the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans, where he has played 955 defensive snaps and 1,145 special teams snaps during his time. His best season came in 2022 with the Titans when he started eight games, recording 64 tackles, including four for loss, one sack and one pass breakup. Those are the types of numbers you want to see from a starting LB, which is a big reason why the Bears brought him aboard this offseason in the first place. When you look at the Alan Williams defense of the Bears and the pieces Poles has assembled, Cole may not play a huge role in their day-to-day operations, but he is a nice depth piece to have. A big reason he may not fit into the Bears long-term plans is his inability to cover the pass, as QBs completed 29 of 32 passes thrown his way in 2022. However, one part of his game that is often overlooked and not talked about enough is his play on Special teams. What Cole lacks on defense, he makes up for on Special Teams as he carved out quite a role during his tenure in the AFC. That was the one part of Cole's game that stood out, and ultimately, you could see him continue that with the Bears. Chicago wasn't very good on Special Teams last season, especially in punt coverage, so adding Cole to their roster may help shore things up on that end of the field. Regardless of what many fans will think of this move, it makes sense, especially when you consider Cole was with this team all summer and already knows the system. Poles will make these types of moves throughout the season, as every team will need added depth for their rosters. Where the depth comes from is a different story, and what the new additions do with the opportunity presented to them is entirely up to them.
