(670 The Score) During his first season with the Bears in 2023, linebacker T.J. Edwards had a team-best 155 combined tackles over 17 games. He has compiled 40 tackles in five contests this year, once again proving himself as a stifling presence on one of the NFL's top defenses.
Edwards knows well that his performance is tied to the effort of the Bears’ defensive interior, where three-technique defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. and nose tackle Andrew Billings do much of the dirty work.
In an appearance on the Bernstein & Harris Show on Tuesday, Edwards explained why he appreciates Dexter and Billings so much.
“I’m obviously a little biased, but that’s my favorite group on this team,” Edwards said of the Bears’ defensive interior. “I think, one to start, defensive line is such an unselfish job. Especially D-tackles — you’re sitting there taking on 600 pounds of linemen to keep (linebacker) free.
“Big Bill, to go out there and get a sack (Sunday), we were all just so happy for him. And even when Dex came in, you kind of just could tell he’s a bit different. He’s wired different. He wants great things. And all that work he has put in – his body looks great from the transformation he made last year to this year. You can tell he’s focused. He wants to be the best in the league at his position, and that mindset is everything. I think he’s really just scratching the surface of what he can be.”
Billings recorded his first sack with the Bears during the team's 36-10 win over the Panthers on Sunday. Billings has 5.5 sacks in his seven-year NFL career while playing a position that is asked to consistently take on double-team blocks.
Dexter has four sacks through five games in his second NFL season. He has already surpassed his total of 2.5 sacks as a rookie in 2023 by showcasing significant improvement this season.
The Bears (3-2) take on the Jaguars (1-4) on Sunday in London.