The Chicago Bears have worked hard over the past three years to put together their new defense. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus should be satisfied with the progress. They’ve arguably built the best secondary in the league, headlined by Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, and Jaquan Brisker. Montez Sweat made the Pro Bowl at defensive end. T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds were highly productive at linebacker. Gervon Dexter could be their breakout star of this season after his strong finish in 2023. This series of events has made it easy to overlook Jack Sanborn.
Here’s a young man who went undrafted out of Wisconsin and was thrust into the starting role as a rookie in 2022 to start six games at middle linebacker. He finished with 64 tackles and two sacks. Last year, he was forced to shift to outside linebacker to accommodate Edmunds. Sanborn still managed 65 tackles, a sack, and an interception. Aaron Schatz of ESPN made sure to point out that people overlook how good Sanborn actually is. The metrics prove it.
“Nonstarter to know: Linebacker Jack Sanborn. The Bears used base personnel 23% of the time last season, and third linebacker Sanborn was excellent against the run. His average run-game tackle came at 2.5 yards, which ranked fifth among off-ball linebackers. He also had a sack and good metrics when he had to play in pass coverage.”
He does so many important things to help the Bears defense excel without getting much of the credit. That is how it often is with good defenses. There is only so much spotlight to go around. Everybody remembers Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, and Charles Tillman. They rarely mention how important Hunter Hillenmeyer or Alex Brown were to those units. Sanborn is in that same category. He may not have the star power, but he always seems to be in the right place to get the job done.
The fact Chicago got him from the undrafted market only makes it better. He is a homegrown kid, too. This is a terrific story. Imagine the books that will be written if Jack Sanborn plays a key role in helping the Bears eventually win a second Lombardi trophy. All of that aside, fans should make sure to appreciate him for his contributions. It’s not every day that guys reach such a level from humble beginnings. It is an important reminder that good football players come from all directions.
