Flipping from a three-man front to one with four defensive linemen means the Bears were always going to need new personnel in the front seven.
On top of that, they were probably in the market for players who could help ease the transition process.
Perhaps linebacker Anthony Hitchens, who the Tribune’s Brad Biggs reports was in town for a visit with the Bears on Thursday, can fit the mold of a player who checks those boxes.
For what it’s worth, Hitchens has been someone who made sense as a possible Bears target since the Chiefs released him in a salary cutting move to create cap space back in February. Here is a snippet from something we wrote in the wake of the news of K.C.’s cut that is worth re-sharing in the wake of his recent visit with the Bears:
The easy connection to make is that Hitchens’ most recent stop was in Kansas City, which is where Ryan Poles was before becoming the Bears’ new GM. But that isn’t the only Bears connection worth noting. That’s because Hitchens was a fourth-round pick by the Cowboys in 2014. Hitchens spent four years in Dallas, all of which were spent being coached by Matt Eberflus. And in case you aren’t up to date, Eberflus is now the Bears’ head coach. While Hitchens was in Dallas, Eberflus held the titles of Linebackers Coach and Passing Game Coordinator. In other words, Eberflus and Hitchens should know each other very well. Same for Poles and Hitchens. With that in mind, maybe there is a fit in Chicago.
The Bears have already brought in Nicholas Morrow in a move re-shaping the linebackers room. But that wasn’t one that would preclude Chicago from adding help down the line. And even though fronts with four linemen often come five defensive backs and two linebackers behind them, there will be times when this defense rolls out a traditional 4-3 look. As of now, only Morrow and Roquan Smith fit as starting linebackers in this type of defensive alignment. In other words, the Bears still need a third who can fit into a role as a SAM linebacker in three-LB formations. Hence, the interest in bringing Hitchens in for a visit and exploring the possibility of a fit with the Bears.
We’ll see if the Bears can seal the deal on this one. Because, while a soon-to-be 30-year-old isn’t much more than a stop-gap option, filling out the roster with a veteran presence who has a Super Bowl ring and experience in this system and with Chicago’s new leadership structure could help soften the learning curve that comes with installing a new system. But we’ll cross that bridge if and when we get there with Hitchens.