Bears just got a golden opportunity to bolster the defense with another one of Dennis Allen’s former players hitting the market
Chicago should jump on this opportunity.
The Chicago Bears have had a steady eye when it comes to finding ways to improve the roster this season, and with a 6-3 start, finding little ways to bolster the roster can be the difference between making a playoff push or falling short.
Over the last two weeks, the Bears have activated Austin Booker from the injured reserve, traded for Joe Tyron-Shoyinka to add some much-needed help off the edge, and signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson to make up for the loss of Kyler Gordon at the nickel position.
Also in the secondary, the Bears attempted to trade for New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor and later showed interest in signing cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., but both options fell through.
You can’t fault the Bears for trying. It’s clear this team is committed to finding upgrades for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s unit, and he’s had a major say in the players the team has considered bringing into the building. On Thursday, another golden opportunity popped up that Allen might be interested in pursuing.
Khalen Saunders should be a player the Bears consider adding following his recent release
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported Thursday morning that the Jacksonville Jaguars plan to release veteran defensive tackle Khalen Saunders, and Saunders hopes to land with a contender for a late-season playoff push.
With the deadline behind us, Saunders is subject to waivers, allowing interested teams to put in an offer for the experienced interior defensive lineman.
The main team to watch here is the Kansas City Chiefs. Saunders spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Chiefs after being a third-round pick back in 2019 (when Bears general manager Ryan Poles served as the Chiefs’ executive director of player personnel). He won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, and Kansas City already made a similar move by signing defensive tackle Mike Pennel following his release from the Cincinnati Bengals.
But don’t rule out Chicago as a potential option for Saunders to reunite with Allen. After his four years in Kansas City, Saunders joined the New Orleans Saints as a free agent in 2023 and spent two years playing in Allen’s scheme. Back in August, the new coaching staff in New Orleans traded Saunders to the Jaguars, but Saunders has always been a big fan of Allen’s system, which he’s now brought over to Chicago.
“It’s a lot of attacking,” Saunders said in 2023. “I feel like there is a lot more looping and just disguises in his defense, which I like, because I love using disguise and deception. Using quickness, people don’t expect me to have it being a nose tackle and being the way that I am, but being able to move quickly and disguise things and stuff like that is a big part of his defense, and I’ve been liking it a lot.”
Saunders played 22 games under Allen, 19 starts, compiling 73 tackles, 1.0 sack, two tackles for a loss, and three QB hits.
The Bears aren’t necessarily hurting in terms of depth on the interior, but have room to make an upgrade at the position. The three main interior players in the rotation have been Gervon Dexter Sr., Grady Jarrett, and Andrew Billings. But the team also gave 32 defensive snaps to Chris Williams and Jonathan Ford, rotating in last week against the New York Giants.
Saunders can be an upgrade over both players, given his experience and familiarity with the scheme. Even if the Bears add him over someone like Ford, Chicago can still bring Ford back on the practice squad if he’s a player the team trusts.
Competition could be there on the waiver wire, and there’s no harm in kicking the tires on adding Saunders if he’s a player Allen wants to bring into the building and work with again.
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