Dennis Allen is a quality defensive coordinator. Nobody can argue that. He had quick success in Denver, which led to his first head coaching stint. Then, he revived the worst defense in NFL history with the New Orleans Saints, transforming it into a top-10 unit that kept the team contenders for close to half a decade. Part of what has made him so successful is his intelligence. Allen couldn't be more different than Matt Eberflus. Where the latter ran a simplified system built around discipline and effort, Allen focuses on complex schemes meant to confuse opponents, giving his defense advantageous matchups.
However, just like any other coach, Allen still has tendencies that make up the identity of his defense. Courtney Cronin of ESPN revealed one that, while understandable, could prove seriously problematic for his new Bears unit.
Three characteristics most closely define Allen's defenses in New Orleans. Since 2016, the Saints deployed the second-most four-man fronts in the NFL, were in man coverage on 55% of dropbacks (fifth-highest rate) and showed two-high safeties on 45% of snaps (third highest)...
...In Allen's first six seasons, the Saints blitzed on 32% of opponent dropbacks (fifth highest); that pressure rate dropped to 20% from 2022 to 2024 (second lowest).
There is nothing wrong with wanting to rush primarily with four. It can be lethal when it works, but that is the problem. If you're going to do that, you need to have rushers capable of getting to the quarterback without help from blitzes. The Bears may or may not have that.
Dennis Allen doesn't have the horses he did in New Orleans.
One reason he got away with rushing four so much with the Saints was that he had a strong array of players who could get to the quarterback. Cameron Jordan was a Pro Bowler. Marcus Davenport was a former 1st round pick, as was Bryan Bresee. They had horses. Chicago is in a somewhat uncertain situation. Their top three rushers going into 2025 are Montez Sweat, Gervon Dexter, and Dayo Odeyingbo. Those three combined for just 13.5 sacks last season. That is far from the total you want to hear if you're planning to lean on four-man rushes.
That means one of two things. Either they must play considerably better than last season, or Dennis Allen must embrace the idea of being more aggressive. Mind you, this is not something he's scared of. Cronin noted he blitzed a ton in his first few years with the Saints. It is a matter of how stubborn he'll be about it if the front four get off to a slow start.
