The Chicago Bears enjoyed a statement 34-17 victory in their Monday night clash against the Seattle Seahawks. Nobody goes into Lumen Field and beats the defending Super Bowl champions like that.
Jeffery Simmons, whom the Bears traded two first-round picks and a fourth-round selection for on Thursday, completely altered Chicago's defense . The Seahawks averaged only 3 yards per play when he was on the field, compared with 13.3 yards per play when he was on the sideline.
While the game was overwhelmingly positive for Chicago, they did lose two key players to injury on the defensive interior. Both Grady Jarrett and Kentavius Street went down in the fourth quarter, with the former suffering a groin injury and the latter being sidelined with a knee injury.
Jarrett might've avoided a long-term injury, as he was listed as doubtful to return. However, Street's injury looked bad. He immediately grabbed his knee and had to be carted off to the locker room.
If Street is out of action for an extended period, that would have a wide-ranging impact on the rest of the unit. His 173 snaps rank third among all defensive tackles.
That would create a situation where two forgotten rookies have a chance to carve out a role in the rotation.
Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg (96) makes a tackle against Cincinnati Bengals running back Kentrel Bullock (31) during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jordan van den Berg, whom the team selected in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft , has effectively been phased out of the defense after playing a key role in the rotation (32% of the defensive snaps) in the season opener. His playing time has steadily decreased since that point, and he and undrafted rookie Jayden Loving were both healthy scratches on Monday night.
Meanwhile, Loving is still waiting to see his first defensive snaps of the season. However, the Bears notably cut Jamree Kromah , whom the Dolphins promptly scooped up off waivers, because they didn't want to lose Loving. They clearly like him.
Both players had strong preseason performances , but they're still extremely raw. That's been evident on tape with Jordan van den Berg. While he's flashed some athleticism, he's spent many of his 72 snaps getting pushed around.
The best thing for both players will be the weight room in the offseason. However, in the short term, playing time is the best way for them to improve, even amid the growing pains. Ideally, they'd be redshirted the rest of the way, but the NFL is a next-man-up league, and they're awfully close to being that for Chicago.
More playing time should allow them to get more comfortable. We've quietly (because he's never going to be heavily involved in the passing game) seen that on offense in the case of tight end Sam Roush. He previously only stood out for the wrong reasons, but he's shown strong blocking chops over the past three weeks.
If they can flash with whatever opportunities they receive, that'll be their fast lane to more playing time. We've seen that play out with James Lynch over the first eight games, as he's carved out a key role on the interior after not initially surviving roster cut-down day in August.
Nov 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Chicago Bears defensive line James Lynch (97) celebrates with defensive tackle Shemar Turner (95) after an interception against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Lynch has played the second-most snaps among Chicago's defensive interior (195), and that's for good reason. He's been disruptive. He'd also see a substantial uptick in playing time if Street and/or Jarrett are out of action.
Neville Gallimore and Shemar Turner would also see more action. The former, specifically, has played at least 11 snaps in every game this season. Dayo Odeyingbo will also play a key role on passing downs once he returns from Injured Reserve (hopefully) later this month.
It'll be all hands on deck if Street or Jarrett are out of commission for an extended period. They've deployed a rotation throughout the season, and it would get injected with some youth if the vets miss time.
Whoever lines up on the interior will majorly benefit from playing alongside the Bears' newest game-wrecker. As long as Simmons is out there, something tells us they'll be alright .
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/bears/onsi as Bears Injuries at DT Opens Door For Unheralded Rookies to Play Bigger Roles .
