The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2023 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.
Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2023 season. We’ll recap their 2022 season, look ahead to 2023 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.
At No. 9 is defensive tackle Justin Jones, who will still be counted on as a leader of the defense despite having added competition.
Background
Position: Defensive tackle
Age: 26
Experience: 6th season
2023 cap hit: $7.4 million
2022 recap
Jones was general manager Ryan Poles’ consolation prize after the team agreed to a deal with defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, but failed his physical. Jones came to the Bears after four years with the Los Angeles Chargers and became the Bears’ most consistent interior defensive linemen. Lining up at the three-technique position, Jones played in all 17 games and totaled 52 tackles (12 for a loss), and three sacks. All of which matched or set career highs. With his production also came leadership experience, which was rewarded midseason when the team voted him as a captain following the trades of Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn. The Bears’ defensive line was nothing to write home about, but Jones stood out from the group.
2023 outlook
After last year’s unit failed to produce in both run and pass defense, Poles overhauled the interior defensive linemen. The Bears signed Andrew Billings in free agency and selected Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Jones is the lone holdover from 2022 who played meaningful snaps. He will now be tasked with ushering the new players into head coach Matt Eberflus’ defense and will once again be looked to as a leader. With the addition of Billings, as well as defensive end DeMarcus Walker, the expectation is Jones will have more opportunities than he did at the end of last season. After he’s done contributing off the field with his sentiments about the Packers fanbase, Jones will need to produce on the field in order to keep the rookies at bay behind him.
Big question: How will the rookies impact Jones' role?
One of the more under-the-radar storylines entering camp will be the combination of interior linemen that share the field together. Jones will enter the year as the starter at three-technique and could be sharing the field with either Billings or Dexter. Pickens likely slots in behind Jones, but could the Bears move one of them over to one-technique and keep both players on the field at the same time? Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams will tinker with various combinations as camp wears on to determine which players provide the best production.
This defense’s success is predicated on having a disruptive three-technique and Jones, for the time being, is that player. No matter who he lines up with, he’ll be counted on for both production and leadership on a young defense.
30 Most Important Bears of 2023
We’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears of 2023. Check back every day leading up to the start of training camp.
| 30. K Cairo Santos | 29. FB Khari Blasingame | 28. TE Robert Tonyan |
| 27. DE Dominique Robinson | 26. LB Jack Sanborn | 25. DT Zacch Pickens |
| 24. RB Roschon Johnson | 23. DT Andrew Billings | 22. CB Tyrique Stevenson |
| 21. DT Gervon Dexter | 20. RB Khalil Herbert | 19. RG Nate Davis |
| 18. LG Teven Jenkins | 17. CB Kyler Gordon | 16. C Cody Whitehair |
| 15. WR Darnell Mooney | 14. FS Eddie Jackson | 13. WR Chase Claypool |
| 12. DE Trevis Gipson | 11. SS Jaquan Brisker | 10. DE DeMarcus Walker |
| 9. DT Justin Jones | 8. COMING 7/18 | 7. COMING 7/19 |
| 6. COMING 7/20 | 5. COMING 7/21 | 4. COMING 7/22 |
| 3. COMING 7/23 | 2. COMING 7/24 | 1. COMING 7/25 |
