Getty Bears defensive tackle Justin Jones is ready for another shot at the Packers in 2023.
Chicago Bears fans have been eager to stoke the flames of rivalry with the Green Bay Packers now that Aaron Rodgers is no longer under center, but veteran defensive tackle Justin Jones wishes the four-time MVP was still around … so he could see the Monsters of the Midway “beat the hell out of them.”
Following June 13’s first veteran minicamp practice, Jones was asked what he made of the NFC North division during his first season in Chicago and how different he thought things would be now that Rodgers elsewhere playing for the New York Jets.
“I wish he played one more year with Green Bay, honestly,” Jones said Tuesday. “We went up there and played a pretty good game, but they got away from us at the end obviously and they won, but their fans are really shitty. So I wanted to go back up there and I wanted to play them and I wanted to beat them and I wanted him to be there so he could see it. But the fact that he’s gone, it’s cool, it’s better for him not to be here.”
Jones — who was the Bears’ starting three-technique tackle in 2022 — also took the opportunity to elaborate a bit more on what he thinks makes the Packers fanbase “really s*****,” criticizing them for running their mouths before last year’s game at Lambeau Field and adding that “half of them don’t even know football.”
“Just the ways that they’re obnoxious and yelling about things that don’t even matter. We’re not even running a play and you guys are talking about, ‘Boo, oh yeah.’ Like, what are you even talking [about]? The game hasn’t even started yet. Like, what are we talking about here?” Jones said before sighing audibly. “Half of them don’t even know football. It’s so weird to me. But I’m just ready to go there and play. I want to go out there and beat the hell out of them.”
Bears Hope Justin Jones Takes ‘Next Step’ in 2023
Jones started all 17 games during his first season for the Bears in 2022, but the overall production of the defense — particularly in terms of sacks and run defense — failed to live up to relatively low expectations. The Bears finished with the fewest sacks (20) in the NFL last year, while the ineffectiveness of their defensive line, including Jones in the 3-tech role, was the main culprit for their subpar run defense that surrendered the second-most rushing yards per game (157.3) and most rushing touchdowns (31).
On an individual level, Jones seemed to struggle to live up to the two-year, $12 million contract he signed with the Bears. He tallied a career-high three sacks for the second straight season, but he played substantially more reps for the Bears than he did in the 2021 season for the Los Angeles Chargers. According to Pro Football Focus, he also received the worst grades of his career for run defense (43.4) and overall defense (45.8), getting penalized a career-worst four times and missing four tackles on the year.
Still, Bears general manager Ryan Poles indicated in his January season-wrapping press conference that he was impressed with Jones’ consistency throughout the 2022 season and is eager to see him take “the next step” during his second year in the defense.
“I thought did a really good job,” Poles said. “I thought he was a consistent playmaker through the season. With that front, I know there were a lot of questions on production in the pass game with sacks. I think that’s a group that, just like O-line, you’ve got to work together. It’s not just one player. Again, I’m excited to see him take the next step next year. In terms of a steady piece that I thought made plays throughout the season, I thought he did that.”
Bears Loaded Up on Young DT Talent for 2023 Season
GettyBears rookie Zacch Pickens will also be competing for a starting defensive tackle role in 2023.
While the Bears are hopeful that Jones can take the next step for them in 2023, they have a loaded room of young talent — including three new draft picks — ready to push him for his starting job once training camp begins toward the end of July.
The Bears used two of their three Day 2 selections on defensive tackles, adding Florida’s Gervon Dexter Sr. in the second round (No. 53 overall) and South Carolina’s Zacch Pickens in the third round (No. 64). They also took a seventh-round flier on the seventh-rounder Travis Bell — the first player to ever be drafted out of Kennesaw State — and added former Las Vegas Raiders veteran Andrew Billings on a one-year contract to shore up the depth in their defensive tackle room for the 2023 season.
If Jones can pick up where he left off in camp, it could be tough for either Dexter or Pickens to pry the starting job out of his hands for Week 1’s opener against the Packers at Soldier Field. Should the returning veteran slip up, though, don’t be surprised if the Bears take the initiative and push their prized rookies to the forefront.
After all, Poles has proven he is willing to start rookies and play them for high volumes of snaps, just as he did with Braxton Jones, Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker and Jack Sanborn during his first season as general manager. And with Jones heading into the final year of his contract, he could need a breakout year just to stick around past 2023.
