Jack Sanborn may be Bears’ most underrated defender

When discussing the Chicago Bears’ linebackers corps, T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds are often the first names referenced. Understandably so, given that general manager Ryan Poles signed both Edwards and Edmunds to upgrade the position during last year’s free agency period. They combined for 268 tackles last season.

Another linebacker that played a big role in their success was sophomore undrafted free agent Jack Sanborn. Sanborn finished fifth in the team in tackles with 65 total takedowns. He may be the Bears’ most underrated defender heading into the 2024 campaign, his third professional season.

Sanborn became a midseason starter as a 2022 UDFA following the Roquan Smith trade. In his first career start, the former Wisconsin standout accumulated 12 tackles and two sacks. Sanborn later suffered a season-ending injury, but not before establishing himself on Matt Eberflus’ defense. He was even named to Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) 2022 All-Rookie Team.

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“The Bears used base personnel 23% of the time last season, and third linebacker Sanborn was excellent against the run,” ESPN’s Aaron Schatz recently noted. “His average run-game tackle came at 2.5 yards, which ranked fifth among off-ball linebackers. He also had a sack and good metrics when he had to play in pass coverage.”

Pro Football Focus assigned Sanborn a stellar run-stopping grade of 71.1. The Bears fielded the league’s top-ranked run defense, allowing just 86.4 ground-yards per game. Sanborn’s score in coverage was an acceptable 63.8, with opposing quarterbacks seeing a middling passer rating of 90.1. He’s a better all-around defender than he gets credit for.

Eberflus and new defensive coordinator Eric Washington will likely continue utilizing base defense (4-3) on roughly a quarter of their defensive plays. When they do, Sanborn will enter the lineup as the third linebacker to support Edmunds and Edwards. Expect Sanborn to continue maximizing his opportunities to make an impact.