The Chicago Bears reinforced the linebacker position by signing former first-round draft pick Devin Bush. Here is what the new defensive playmaker adds to the Bears' defense.
It was clear the Bears wanted to add defensive playmakers on the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period.
General manager Ryan Poles accomplished that by adding defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, safety Coby Bryant and linebacker Devin Bush. The former Cleveland Browns linebacker is coming off his best season in the NFL. Bush, 27, ended with 125 total tackles, two sacks, three interceptions (including two pick-6s) and eight passes defensed.
When looking at Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) advanced metrics, Bush graded out as a top-10 linebacker in his overall defensive grade and run and coverage grades.
He earned a season-high 90.7 defensive grade for his Week 2 performance against the Baltimore Ravens. He finished with five total tackles, two pass breakups and one sack in the 41-17 loss.
Here are some of the top takeaways from that game.
Bush only played 44 total snaps in Week 2, and that’s because he came off the field when the Ravens brought an extra defensive back. That was consistent throughout the entire game.
Former Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds also came off the field at times when the Bears utilized their nickel and dime packages. Bush and the Bears agreed to a 3-year, $30 million deal, including $21 million guaranteed. So it will be interesting to see how Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen approaches those obvious passing situations.
When Bush was on the field, he set the tone, starting early on with the first two defensive snaps of the game. Bush shows no hesitation in making a tackle on running back Derrick Henry to limit him to a 1-yard gain.
What stands out about Bush as a run stopper is his closing speed to meet ball carriers. Once he diagnoses what the offense is trying to do, the new Bears’ linebacker is downhill and looking to make a secure tackle. Bush will make the initial contact, allowing his teammates to rally to the football.
The 5-foot-11, 235-pound linebacker also will get low to avoid blocks and maneuver around bigger offensive lineman. Being a smaller, quicker linebacker also makes it tougher to get off blocks if an opposing O-lineman can get secure positioning. That happened a few times in this game.
In coverage, Bush shows quick reaction speed and ability to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. He also displayed that he won't panic when targeted. Watch Bush in the low red zone as he is covering Ravens tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden. Even though he is initially out of position and has his back to the quarterback, he stays calm and plays though the tight end's hands to break up the pass.
An area that Bush must continue to improve is staying disciplined in his zone responsibilities, specifically when quarterbacks are using their eyes to move him off a spot. That happened several times when Bush in coverage.
Although already mentioned, Bush's speed does show up consistently on tape. On this sack against quarterback Lamar Jackson, just watch how quickly Bush closes the gap to get to the Raven's quarterback.
In Bush's highest-graded game of the season, you can see exactly why the Bears made him a priority in free agency. If Allen can maximize Bush's athletic ability on a down-to-down basis, he is going to be a productive player in Chicago.
To get a more complete idea of what Bush can do, make sure to be on the lookout for the next film breakdown, which will dive into Bush's Week 10 performance against the New York Jets -- his lowest graded game of the 2025 season.