NEWSLETTER
As we discussed earlier today, the Chicago Bears are absolutely stacked on the defensive line right now. Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman, and Bilal Nichols are much more than capable starters and their backups (Roy Robertson-Harrison, Jonathan Bullard, Nick Williams, etc.) offer plenty in terms of depth and rotation.
But because you can never be too good, we also explored the possibility/desirability of adding the (surprisingly) recently released defensive lineman Mike Daniels from the Packers. Unfortunatly, another team in the NFC North acted quickly.
Daniels is now a Lion:
Former Packers’ Pro Bowl Mike Daniels officially signed a one-year, $9.1 million deal that includes $7.8 million fully guaranteed with the Detroit Lions, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 26, 2019
Like I said, this is no big loss, given the Bears current crop of starters and backups, but it’s not like it wasn’t something I hoped would happen. The Bears are in the middle of a competitive window (all opportunities to improve need to be considered), and as we saw last season, having a rotation of defensive linemen can maximize what a unit could do in limiting quarterbacks and ball-carriers alike. It also hurts because the Bears did not improve while one of their closest rivals did.
Even though the Lions’ already stout run defense just got better, I’m not going to lose sleep over this one — especially not with the budding romance between Chuck Pagano and the Bears defense — but I wouldn’t have hated it either. Oh well.
