Chicago Bears front office guru Ryan Poles is at it again. Just one day after trading for a pass rusher due for a breakout season, he brings in a big-bodied tackle to add some depth in the middle of the defensive line. The Bears picked up DT Chris Williams and a 2025 seventh-round draft selection from the Cleveland Browns while giving up a 2025 sixth-round draft choice in return.
The Chicago Bears’ New DT Journeyman
Chris Williams spent most of last season on practice squads with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns. Williams entered the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts in 2020 as an undrafted free agent out of Wagner College. Chicago Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus was the Colts Defensive Coordinator at the time and is very familiar with Williams as a player and a person.
Williams has had limited success as a pro thus far. He only suited up for 13 games total during his two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, tallying six combined takes and zero sacks. However, during his senior season for the Wagner College Seahawks, Williams was a force to be reckoned with earning first-team All-NEC honors. He compiled 62 total tackles, 11.5 TFL, and four sacks in his final season, making him a good prospect in the free-agent pool after the draft.
Questions On Bears Interior DL
The starting DT spots are all but locked up by incumbents Gervon Dexter Sr. and Andrew Billings, it’s the second and third rotation spots that are up for grabs. Second-year DT Zacch Pickens suited up 17 games for the Chicago Bears last season, putting together 20 combined tackles and 0.5 sacks on a 25% snap share. Rookie DT Dashaun Mallory entered Bears training camp as a UDFA out of Arizona State University. Mallory has seven total tackles and one sack this preseason.
Newcomer to the Chicago Bears, Byron Cowart was drafted in 2019 by the New England Patriots in the fifth round. Cowart was a starter for the Patriots in 2020, playing in 14 games and earning one sack and 27 total tackles on a 48% snap share. Cowart missed the entire 2021 season due to injury and was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, dressing for 17 games and totaling 17 combined tackles on a 20% snap rate. Cowart spent the entire 2023 season on the practice squad for the Miami Dolphins.
Final Thoughts
Whether Williams ends up making the Chicago Bears practice squad or cracks the 53-man roster is yet to be seen – but either way, he will be a familiar presence in the locker room and on the gridiron for Eberflus. There is plenty of competition on the interior defensive line of the Chicago Bears. It will be intriguing to see which direction GM Ryan Poles and Coach Eberflus take with their decisions regarding the guys on the DT bubble.
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