Chicago Bears News Page 360 - NFL

Packers lacking the momentum they carried into the playoffs last season

Green Bay knows it can pull a road playoff upset as a No. 7 seed because that’s exactly what the Packers did in Dallas last season

JANUARY 7 • Associated Press

The Bears turn attention to their coaching search after finishing 5-12

The Chicago Bears ended a 10-game losing streak with a rare win at Green Bay

JANUARY 7 • Associated Press

Byron Cowart - Set career high in sacks Cowart recorded two tackles, including 1.0 sacks, in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Playing in his fourth season, Cowart set a career high with 2.5 sacks while posting 26 tackles on a 32 percent snap share over 15 games during the campaign. The veteran is an unrestricted free agent.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Byron Cowart - Set career high in sacks Cowart recorded two tackles and 1.0 sacks in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Playing in his fourth season, Cowart set a career high with 2.5 sacks while posting 26 tackles on a 32 percent snap share. The veteran is an unrestricted free agent.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Austin Booker - Part-time role as rookie Booker tallied one stop in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact After being selected in the fifth round of the 2024 draft, Booker played 24 percent of the snaps for Chicago, leading to 21 tackles and 1.5 sacks. If Darrell Taylor leaves as a free agent, Booker may be able to move up the depth chart as he enters the second year of a four-year contract with the Bears.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Terell Smith - Part-time role in 2024 Smith tallied two stops in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Smith served as the No. 4 cornerback for the Bears, and since the starters had relatively good health, Smith ended the season playing 19 percent of the snaps, resulting in 19 tackles. The veteran in under contract with the Bears through 2026.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Chris Williams - Rotational role in 2024 Williams posted three tackles in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Williams backed up Gervon Dexter at defensive tackle and played 35 percent of the snaps in 2024. After playing minimal snaps during his first two seasons with the Colts, Williams ended the campaign with 23 stops and 3.0 sacks. He'll be a restricted free agent this offseason.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Jaylon Jones - Misses nine games Jones missed the last nine games of the season with a shoulder injury, and ended the year with 15 tackles in eight games played.

Impact Jones posted 47 tackles as a rookie in 2022, though he was pressed into starting duty often as the team dealt with injuries in the secondary. In the last two seasons, Jones has served as a rotational player. Of his 15 tackles this year, 10 came in the Week 6 game when he was called upon to start. The veteran will be a restricted free agent this offseason.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Jack Sanborn - Worst season of career Sanborn recorded one tackle in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Sanborn had posted 64 and 65 tackles during his first two seasons in the league. In 2024, the veteran ended the season with 35 stops and 1.5 sacks in 17 games. The biggest issue was that the Bears followed a trend in the league in which teams often use two linebackers on the field, instead of the traditional three or four. The defensive scheme resulted in Sanborn playing just 22 percent of the snaps. He'll be a restricted free agent this offseason.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Elijah Hicks - Misses five games in 2024 Hicks missed the last two games of the season with an ankle injury. He ended the season with 40 tackles in 12 games.

Impact Hicks was the starting strong safety for the Bears until suffering an ankle injury in Week 11. Once he returned to action in Week 15, Jonathan Owens had taken over the starting job, which limited Hicks to 10 snaps in Weeks 15-16. Another ankle injury ended the season early for Hicks. The veteran is under contract with the Bears through next season.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Jacob Martin - Three sacks in 2024 Martin played 15 snaps, but recorded no stats in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Martin saw his first game action with the Bears in Week 8. On the season, the seven-year veteran tallied 15 tackles and 3.0 sacks. The defensive end has not posted more than 23 stops or 4.0 sacks in a season as he heads to unrestricted free agency in his age-29 season.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Zacch Pickens - Rotational role in 2024 Pickens was inactive in the last two games of the season, and he ended the year with 19 tackles (eight solo), including 1.0 sacks, in nine games.

Impact When on the field, Pickens often played about 40 percent of the snaps each week. After recording five tackles over his first six games, Pickens increased his production by averaging 4.7 stops over his last three contests. The defensive tackle is under contract with the Bears through 2026.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Zacch Pickens - Rotational role in 2024 Pickens was inactive in the last two games of the season, and he ended the year with 19 tackles and 1.0 sacks in nine games.

Impact When on the field, Pickens often played about 40 percent of the snaps each week. After recording five tackles over his first six games, Pickens increased his production by averaging 4.67 stops over his last three contests. The defensive tackle is under contract with the Bears through 2026.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Tyrique Stevenson - Slight regression in second year Stevenson posted eight tackles (four solo) and a pass defensed in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Stevenson played in 16 games and ended the season with 78 tackles (51 solo), 12 passes defensed, including two interceptions (including a pick-six) and a forced fumble. Those numbers were down slightly from the cornerback's rookie season, when he tallied 86 tackles (65 solo), 16 defensed passes, including four interceptions, and two forced fumbles over 16 games. Regardless, Stevenson has established a solid IDP scoring floor, as he enters the final two years of his rookie deal with the Bears.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Tyrique Stevenson - Slight regression in second year Stevenson posted eight tackles in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Stevenson played in 16 games and ended the season with 78 tackles and two interceptions. Those numbers were down slightly from the cornerback's rookie season, when he tallied 86 tackles and four picks. Regardless, Stevenson has established a solid IDP scoring floor, as he enters the final two years of his rookie deal with the Bears.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Gervon Dexter Sr. - Breaks out in second season Dexter tallied five stops in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Dexter finished the season with 51 tackles (23 solo), including 5.0 sacks, one pass defensed and two fumble recoveries over 15 games. The 2023 second-round pick looked like one of the more promising young defensive tackles in the league. Dexter is signed through 2026, and he'll be an excellent IDP option in leagues that use an interior defensive-line position.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Gervon Dexter Sr. - Breaks out in second season Dexter tallied five stops in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Dexter finished the season with 51 tackles and 5.0 sacks, and he looked like one of the more promising young defensive tackles in the league. Dexter is signed through 2026, and he'll be an excellent IDP option in leagues that use an interior defensive line position.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Jonathan Owens - Excels in second half of season Owens recorded five tackles and a recovered fumble in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Owens was a non-factor through Week 11, when he had a total of three tackles. The safety moved into a regular role when teammate Elijah Hicks was injured. Once Hicks returned, Owens retained the starting job. In the last eight game, the veteran posted 46 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. Owens is signed through 2025, and assuming he holds onto the starting role, he'll be a high floor IDP.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Jaquan Brisker - Misses 12 games with concussion Brisker went on injured reserve after suffering a concussion in Week 5.

Impact Clearly, the only thing that matters is Brisker's health. Hopefully, he can recover to full health. If he returns to action in 2025, he'll go into the last year of his rookie contract coming off of a five-game season in which Brisker posted 40 tackles and 1.0 sacks.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Kyler Gordon - 75 stops in 2024 Gordon tallied four stops in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Gordon posted between four and seven tackles in all but one game this season, and his 75 stops was four more than his previous career high. After picking off five passes in his first two seasons, the cornerback failed to secure any this season. Gordon will go into the last year of his rookie deal, and he should remain a low-ceiling IDP unless he can outperform his career norms.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Darrell Taylor - Set to hit free agency Taylor posted four solo tackles in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Taylor recorded a career-low 3.0 sacks with the Bears after he averaged 7.2 sacks in his three years with the Seahawks. In terms of tackles, the defensive end posted 32, which was right in line with his previous career average of 30. Taylor is an unrestricted free agent, and if he moves to a team that can weaponize him as a pass rusher, his IDP value would improve.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Darrell Taylor - Set to hit free agency Taylor posted four tackles in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact Taylor recorded a career-low 3.0 sacks with the Bears after he averaged 7.17 sacks in his three years with the Seahawks. In terms of tackles, the defensive end posted 32, which was right in line with his previous career average of 30. Taylor is an unrestricted free agent, and if he moves to a team that can weaponize him as a pass rusher, his IDP value would improve.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Andrew Billings - Spends 10 games on IR Billings missed the last 10 contests in the 2024 season with a pectoral injury.

Impact Billings recorded 13 tackles and 1.0 sacks in eight games. With a career high of 39 tackles in 2022, the defensive tackle will remain a low-ceiling IDP as he heads into the last year of his contract with Chicago.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Kevin Byard III - Career year at age 30 Byard tallied 14 tackles and 1.0 sacks in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact In his ninth season in the NFL, Byard posted 130 tackles and 2.0 sacks. The safety has now recorded at least 108 stops in four of the last five campaigns. Byard is going into the last year of his contract with the Bears, and he should remain an excellent IDP.

JANUARY 6 • ROTOWIRE

Kevin Byard III - Career year at age 30 Byard tallied 14 tackles and 1.0 sacks in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Impact In his ninth season in the NFL, Byard posted 130 tackles and 2.0 sacks. That said, the saefty has recorded at least 108 stops in four of the last five campaigns. Byard is going into the last year of his contract with the Bears, and he should remain an excellent IDP.

JANUARY 6 • ROTOWIRE

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