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Key Chicago Bears defensive tackle put on notice after Week 1 debut
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The Chicago Bears are confident in their defensive line. So much so that they were willing to trade defensive tackle Gervon Dexter prior to the season. Part of that confidence comes due to the presence of defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg.
After being selected in the sixth-round of the 2026 NFL Draft, van den Berg burst onto the scene over training camp. He impressed the coaching staff at-large, ultimately earning a key role in the defensive tackle rotation. As a rookie, especially one selected in the sixth-round, van den Berg may need some time to get up to NFL speed. But Chicago is still expecting him to make an impact by the end of his rookie year.
In Week 1, van den Berg only played 22 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. It’s clear Chicago is still working the rookie into their scheme. As the weeks go on, assuming van den Berg continues to develop, he’ll only earn more opportunities.
Still, there’s reasons he went in the sixth-round. The Bears will have numerous areas they want him to improve moving forward. Two became evident after Week 1.
Where Chicago Bears’ Jordan van den Berg must improve
It took just those 22 snaps for defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett to diagnose some issues. Moving forward, Garrett wants van den Berg to remember what got him here in the first place. With the way he has developed, the coach wouldn’t be shocked to see an immediate rise, via CHGO.
“I thought he was a little nervous to start off with,” Garrett said. “I told him, keep it simple, keep doing the things that allowed you to get to this point. Don’t over think it. You’re only wrong if you don’t attack. We just got to clean up some of his technique. There’s a lot of growth and learning that will happen from game one to game two.”
#Bears D-line coach Jeremy Garrett on rookie Jordan van den Berg: pic.twitter.com/Py7Y3fJPyV
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) September 17, 2026
van den Berg was a sixth-round rookie making his NFL debut, there were bound to be some speedbumps along the way. But Garrett and the Bears are committed to helping the defensive tackle grow anyway they can. Now, it’s up to van den Berg to take those teachings and put them to practice.
The post Key Chicago Bears defensive tackle put on notice after Week 1 debut appeared first on ChiCitySports.
