Alan Williams Just Made A Bold Vow About The Bears Defense

The Chicago Bears defense took a step back in 2022. Nobody was overly surprised by that. GM Ryan Poles spent the first several months of his tenure basically gutting the unit. Most big names that made the unit successful in recent years were either cut, traded, or allowed to leave in free agency. Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, Bilal Nichols, Danny Trevathan, Robert Quinn, and Roquan Smith were all gone before the end of October. It would've been a far bigger shock if the unit didn't take a step back. One had to feel bad for Alan Williams.

The man got his chance at the defensive coordinator job for the first time in a decade. His last one ended in frustrating fashion with the Minnesota Vikings. Last season became characterized by a defense that couldn't stop the run and couldn't rush the passer. That recipe explains why the Bears allowed at least 25 points in each of their final ten games. One would think Williams is discouraged. Far from it. The defensive coordinator sounded energized and optimistic about the future in an interview with Michael Sauls of The Virginian Pilot.

“Every now and then, I pinch myself. I'm the coordinator of the Chicago Bears. We are the monsters of the midway and we are going to be the best defense again in the world. It didn’t happen this year, but it will happen in the near future.”

Alan Williams is no stranger to being challenged.

When he joined Matt Eberflus in Indianapolis in 2018, the Colts defense had ranked 30th in points allowed and total yards. There was a ton of work to be done. By the end of that first season, they were 10th and 11th, respectively. He knows quick turnarounds are possible if you stay committed to the plan and find the right players. There were signs that the Bears' scheme was having success at times. The problem was they lacked the pieces necessary to bring everything together. That can be fixed in the next two months as free agency and the draft loom.

Signs showed the Bears have some building blocks in place already. Jaylon Johnson has developed into a quality cover corner. Rookies Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon finished strong down the stretch. There were also flashes from undrafted free agent Jack Sanborn at middle linebacker. If Alana Williams can get a solid defensive line in front of that group, this defense could become much better in a hurry. One can only hope his forecast is correct. Chicago always seems to be at its best when the defense is dominating.