Dennis Allen Says He Made One Change To Bears Draft Approach

Ryan Poles is still the general manager. He holds the final say on every personnel decision. However, he’s also made it clear he is willing to compromise with his coaching staff to get the best possible players for their vision. It is no different with Dennis Allen. There was always the assumption that his preferred type of players wouldn’t align with what Matt Eberflus wanted over the past few years. However, most people make the mistake of assuming the preferences are strictly related to physical talent.

Allen spoke to the media on Saturday about new rookie Shemar Turner. The Bears made him their last of three 2nd round picks last month. While his talent by itself is considerable, the defensive coordinator made it clear one of the biggest reasons they wanted him was his temperament. Turner has a reputation for playing with a violent and aggressive edge. Allen feels his defense needs more of those players. His reasoning is simple.

It is far easier to rein a guy in than it is to motivate them to play hard.

Dennis Allen knows the benefits of having such players.

Some will call them dirty or cheap. Coaches call them “pricks.” Every great defense has at least one or two pricks in its midst. They set the tone every Sunday, letting opponents know they’re in for a long, painful afternoon. It was Doug Atkins and Bill George in the 1960s, Steve McMichael and Wilber Marshall in the 1980s, and Lance Briggs and Mike Brown in the 2000s. Those guys relished hurting others and weren’t afraid to take things to the edge. That is what Turner will be for these Bears.

Dennis Allen had Brian Dawkins in Denver, Charles Woodson in Oakland, and Cam Jordan, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Demario Davis in New Orleans. Turner doesn’t need to be a superstar for the Bears. He only has to be a good player who is willing to play the role of agitator. That was his specialty at Texas A&M. Chicago hasn’t had somebody like that in years. Things are about to change.