Latest news with #DennisAllen
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PFF grades for Bears' projected starting defense in 2025
There are high expectations surrounding the Chicago Bears heading into the 2025 season following the hiring of head coach Ben Johnson, who made a huge addition with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who should take this defense to the next level. The Bears made some big additions this offseason along the defensive line, including the free-agent acquisitions of defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (an experienced veteran and proven leader) and edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo (an ascending pass rusher poised to make a leap). They also added some potential playmakers in the 2025 NFL draft, including defensive tackle Shemar Turner, linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II and cornerback Zah Frazier. Advertisement With Allen taking the reins on defense, there's little doubt the unit should prosper behind their new defensive coordinator's aggressive style of defense. But there were some encouraging moments from Chicago's starters last season and for the newcomers joining the fold, as evidenced by Pro Football Focus. PFF grades (2024) for projected starters on Bears defense: EDGE Montez Sweat - 65.6 EDGE Dayo Odeyingbo - 66.1 DT Gervon Dexter Sr. - 70.3 DT Grady Jarrett - 62.1 LB T.J. Edwards - 60.7 LB Tremaine Edmunds - 59.2 CB Jaylon Johnson - 76.2 CB Tyrique Stevenson - 58.9 NCB Kyler Gordon - 76.0 S Kevin Byard - 72.8 S Jaquan Brisker - 65.3 Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: PFF grades for Chicago Bears' projected starting defense in 2025
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ben Johnson is bringing intensity to the Bears defense
When the Chicago Bears hired head coach Ben Johnson this offseason, they did so to help elevate the offense. But he's also bringing some energy to the defense. In his first year as a head coach, Johnson has a respected and established coaching staff around him, mixed with veteran assistants and young, rising coaches looking to make their mark in Johnson's regime. Advertisement While the focus for Johnson and the Bears will be how he turns around the offense and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, one defensive veteran has taken notice of how the new head coach is addressing the defense. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who signed in free agency, raved about Johnson's intensity and focus on the defensive side of the ball. 'He's our leader. It is across the board, the standard is the standard," Jarrett said. "What I can say is with him, and all the coaches, (defensive coordinator Dennis Allen), they're not coming off of it. It's our job as players to put our best foot forward every day to reach what's expected of us. We're never going to be perfect, but the strive to try to reach it, that can breed excellence. I'm excited for the standard that is set for everybody across the board. This isn't a program where you try to be guy's friends and hopefully they'll buy in. No. You have to get with it. I've been around for a long time and that's the kind of culture you have to set early because when the expectations are high, that's what you want.' While Chicago has veteran defensive coordinator and former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen running the show on defense, it's certainly encouraging to see Johnson bringing the intensity to that side of the ball, as well. This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears HC Ben Johnson is bringing intensity to the defense
New York Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Bears rookie minicamp takeaways: Coaches offer early impressions of draft picks
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has been in the NFL for 23 years. He's got six seasons of head coaching — with two different teams — under his belt. It's probably fair to trust him when he sets the tone about rookie minicamp. 'Look, obviously, rookie minicamp, we're just getting into the introduction phase of what we're doing with these young guys, so we're not going to get into a lot of instant reactions in terms of how everybody's doing,' he said Saturday at Halas Hall. 'These guys are out here excited about working … and we're excited about working with them.' Advertisement We don't want to completely downplay the first opportunity to see the rookies on the field in Bears uniforms, but it's a nice reminder that there's only so much we can glean from the sideline. The coaches know how well the rookies are picking up the playbook and handling their assignments. One way the 2025 class of rookies aimed to prove themselves after Day 1 of rookie minicamp was meeting up in position groups at the hotel to go over the playbook. That initiative had to impress the coaches. Squad up, 🐻⬇️ — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 11, 2025 'We wanted to have a better practice today as a whole group and not just one person,' fifth-round corner Zah Frazier said. 'That's how we're repping each other, you know, no man left behind.' Fourth-rounder Ruben Hyppolite II helped get the linebackers together to help show improvement for the weekend practices. 'We got together, went over some of the install and then, for myself, just went over the install on the iPad, writing down, taking notes, doing what I do best and locking in and maintaining,' he said. 'I spent like an hour and some change last night just going through everything again before coming out today. Just want to be prepared and ready to go.' Rookie minicamp might be a little more of what we heard than what we saw, and over the weekend, we got to meet with Bears coordinators for the first time since the draft. At the end of the 2024 season, Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle was in his office in Denver as the Broncos' tight ends coach when he started watching film of Michigan tight end Colston Loveland. His first reaction? 'He's competitive,' Doyle said. 'He's super competitive. … I was like, 'Man, I would love to be able to coach this guy.'' What stood out to Doyle, presumably in addition to Loveland's ability to separate and make big-time catches, was that competitiveness, reflected best at how he finishes the play. Advertisement 'I think that you see him finishing at a high rate and you'll see him jaw a little bit at whoever he is playing against,' Doyle said. 'That's the biggest thing that stands out is just his ability to finish and his willingness to play through the whistle.' Doyle was with the Saints when they drafted tight end Adam Trautman in the third round in 2020, who then headed to Denver to reunite with Doyle and coach Sean Payton. Having worked under Payton, Doyle probably has a good sense of how tight ends can be used as a weapon. Payton had a pretty good one in Jimmy Graham. Loveland is at practice with a helmet, doing a few things, but still isn't full-go. 'He's really inquisitive and he's very involved just right from the tip,' Doyle said. Just Lovely — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 10, 2025 Second-round wide receiver Luther Burden III had the highlight of Saturday's practice when he hauled in a deep ball, but he came down hard on the ball and was slow to get up. He returned Sunday and participated in the final practice of rookie minicamp. As far as Doyle's evaluation of the former Missouri wideout, it mirrors what we heard from head coach Ben Johnson. 'He's an explosive athlete,' he said. 'He's really exciting. His tape was really impressive in college. He's a playmaker and when the ball's in his hands, he was one of the best guys that we evaluated in this process.' Burrrr Down 🐻⬇️ — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 9, 2025 Veterans are in the middle of their offseason training program. They had three days of practices in April, and otherwise have been limited to strength and conditioning, and classroom work. That's allowed Doyle to get to know his quarterback, Caleb Williams. Something Williams did last weekend, in the dead time of the NFL calendar, caught Doyle's eye. Advertisement 'He is very eager to do work, he's here after hours. He's really trying to get it right. We're giving him scripts. He came in last Saturday and he's in the indoor (facility), trying to walk through it by himself,' Doyle said. 'I think it's really important to him that he gets it right. I think his teammates can feel that. I think his teammates feel a guy that's trying to take the next step. It's been a really positive exposure thus far.' The Bears' first practice as a full team begins in two weeks with OTAs. Year 2 loading 📶 — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 8, 2025 Allen likes second-round pick Shemar Turner a lot. He talked about the athleticism, the explosion and power, and that Turner's 'got the right temperament for what we're looking for.' Then the Texas native gave us a metaphor for how they'll bring Turner along. 'I think we'll have to put the saddle on him and break him a little bit but we'd rather have to pull the reins back rather than have to whip him to get him to go,' Allen said. 'We're excited about working with him.' That career for Turner will begin at defensive tackle. While he played end earlier in his career at Texas A&M — also Allen's alma mater — Turner is best-suited, for now, inside. 'The first thing we got to do is we got to play him in at defensive tackle and let him learn there, let him develop there, both as a three-technique and a nose, and then we'll worry about trying to see that flexibility,' Allen said. 'From a skill set standpoint, yeah, he's got some flexibility. We'll just have to see what he can learn, how quickly he can learn and adapt to what we're doing.' The best thing going for Frazier is his size — 6-foot-3 with 32 7/8-inch arms. Allen said, who better to learn the position from than secondary coach Al Harris, the former 6-foot-1 corner? Advertisement Frazier said that Harris is working with him on his stance, and there was already a pass break-up on the stat sheet for Frazier. On a deep ball down the left sideline for first-year receiver John Jackson, Frazier was able to make a play. 'I was press-man. He gave me a good release,' Frazier said. 'I kinda, I stabbed him. I just played my technique and I didn't panic. And once you don't panic, good things happen. So that was a good thing, having a little PBU. I want the ball, though.' Getting the ball was something Frazier did at a high level last year at UTSA when he had a school-record six interceptions. 'Probably the biggest thing is you got a big, long press corner that can run,' Allen said. 'He made a play out there today along the left sidelines — defensively, as you look at it — and that's kind of what we saw with him. Here's another guy that's a young, developmental corner. He's got a lot of things that he's got to learn, but he's got the tools for us to work with.' Offensive lineman Luke Newman earned the Bears' interest because of his positional versatility, particularly at center during the East-West Shrine Game. But the Bears narrowed his focus this past weekend at Halas Hall. 'So since I got here, majority focus has been at left guard but obviously that versatility was a huge reason why I was drafted, why I'm here,' Newman said. 'And I look forward to working the other spots, right guard, center as well. I think working the interior three will kind of be my main focus going forward. I have the tackle background but obviously working interior three is going to be a major focus.' Big guys at work 😤 — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 11, 2025 Newman said he feels natural at guard. He started on the left side at Michigan State last season after being a tackle at Holy Cross. But it's apparent that playing center intrigues him. 'Intellectually, obviously, it's a new playbook here,' he said. 'There's an adjustment period for that as well. But I really think that center, all in all, fits more of my body type. It's kind of more of what my strengths are. Obviously, I have that guard flexibility as well. But I really look forward to learning and adapting to center a lot more.' Advertisement The brash and direct coaching style of running backs coach Eric Bieniemy was on display during rookie minicamp. Running back Kyle Monangai, the Bears' final draft pick this year, is happy to be on the receiving end of it. 'He's a legend, No. 1, to begin with, just knowing his history, the people he's coached, the teams he's been a part of,' Monangai said. 'And he's really insightful, a great coach, gets me ready for practice every day. I'm excited for the future of what he's going to be able to teach me, and being able to work with him.' Monangai caught only 38 passes over five seasons at Rutgers but he's looking at the Bears' offseason program, which included rookie minicamp, as an opportunity to show Bieniemy and the rest of the coaching staff that he will be a threat out of the backfield. 'I didn't get as many opportunities to do it in college,' he said. 'I wish I could've, but my role on the team wasn't that. So whatever my role is going to be that Coach Johnson wants to put me in, Coach Doyle wants to put me in, if I can showcase that, then I'll showcase that. But it's definitely something that I work on each day.' (Photo of Luther Burden III (87): David Banks / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dennis Allen reacts to Derek Carr's retirement
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr announced his retirement from the NFL after 11 seasons. Carr had been dealing with a shoulder injury that would require surgery and put his 2025 season in doubt. According to the Saints, Carr discovered the injury in late March during his first big throwing session since he suffered a left-hand injury back in early December. Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen spent several years with Carr, between the Las Vegas Raiders and Saints. Allen was the Raiders head coach in Carr's rookie season in 2014, before Allen was fired at the end of the season. But Allen, who was promoted to interim head coach and later retained as head coach for the Saints, orchestrated a reunion in New Orleans as the Saints signed Carr to a four-year, $150 million deal. Allen was fired after Week 9 of the 2024 season. Allen shared his reaction to Carr's retirement, where he reflected on working with the former second-round pick. "I mean, what a great individual," Allen said Saturday. "I was there when we drafted him in Oakland, had a chance to coach him again as he matured there in New Orleans. I love Derek Carr. I haven't spoken to him. Just saw that right before we walked onto the practice field today. He did a lot of good things and he was always somebody that was pleasant to be around in the building." As Carr embarks on life after football, Allen is starting a new chapter in Chicago as he takes over as defensive coordinator under head coach Ben Johnson. Not only is Allen looking to bring an aggressive mindset to this Bears defense, but he'll be a sounding board for the first-time head coach. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Dennis Allen reacts to Derek Carr's retirement
USA Today
23-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ex-Saints coach Dennis Allen may have spilled the beans on the Bears' draft plans
Ex-Saints coach Dennis Allen may have spilled the beans on the Bears' draft plans Did Dennis Allen spill the beans on how the Chicago Bears have stacked their big board in the 2025 NFL draft? Maybe, maybe not. And might not mean anything at all. But with rumors about a certain player falling in the draft and the Bears working the phones in hopes of trading up, you have to wonder if these dots can be connected. The former New Orleans Saints head coach was quickly hired as Chicago's new defensive coordinator early this offseason; like a few other teams, the Bears have produced their own documentary on preparations for the NFL draft. In one clip that's gone viral on social media, Allen was filmed talking with Bears general manager Ryan Poles at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "Where do we have him (ranked)?" Allen asked, motioning to a TV playing above their heads. Reflected in the glass of the Lucas Oil Stadium suite was Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Mason Graham, being interviewed by a reporter after going through drills. "Uh, high," Poles responded. "In this year, probably one or two." Graham has been a consensus top-five prospect for months now, at least on the outside looking in. But now that the draft is nearly here, expectations are being recalibrated, at least a little bit. Graham may not go to the Jacksonville Jaguars like everyone expected. The Las Vegas Raiders aren't a lock to draft him, either. Maybe the Bears leapfrog an interested team like the Saints, who hosted Graham on a top 30 visit and are reportedly doing some last-minute digging on him, to get one of this year's two best players. At least according to their board. This is the kind of intrigue that keeps fans engaged and sends experts into a tizzy. We won't have to wait long on draft day to see if Chicago makes a move, if Graham does fall, or if the Saints enter the mix, one way or another.
