INJURY UPDATE: Stars T.J. Edwards and Noah Sewell Activated to the 53-Man Roster – Head Coach Ben Johnson Confirms First Major Scheme Change After One Season
Chicago, Illinois – 12/06/2025
The Chicago Bears received a crucial boost ahead of their NFC North showdown with the Green Bay Packers as T.J. Edwards and Noah Sewell were officially activated back to the 53-man roster. After missing two weeks due to injuries, the linebacker duo is finally ready to return — and their comeback does more than stabilize Chicago’s second level. It sets the stage for the first major defensive schematic shift under head coach Ben Johnson.
Johnson confirmed in Friday’s press conference that once Edwards and Sewell were cleared, the coaching staff immediately began implementing adjustments to the defensive system — changes he described as “impossible to deploy earlier due to missing personnel.”
“When T.J. and Noah return together, you can do things that were simply off the table two weeks ago,” Johnson said. “This is the first time we’ve had enough speed, power, and versatility to reshape our defensive structure. And we’re going to take advantage of it right away.”
Edwards, the heartbeat of the Bears’ defense, remains their top pre-snap communicator and matchup diagnostician. Sewell, meanwhile, brings sideline-to-sideline speed and a downhill blitz element that Chicago has sorely missed during his absence.
Their return allows the Bears to deploy a series of new defensive packages, including:
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Multiple 4-2-5 variations to maximize linebacker speed and pressure opportunities;
Custom-designed blitz concepts built around Sewell’s explosiveness;
Expanded zone-match coverages with Edwards orchestrating traffic in the middle.
The timing could not be more critical. Chicago enters Week 14 at 6–6 in a must-win situation to keep its playoff hopes alive. Losing Rome Odunze and Tyrique Stevenson has put strain on the offense and secondary, but the middle of the defense — now fortified by Edwards and Sewell — is regaining strength at the perfect moment.
The challenge ahead is formidable. Green Bay’s offense, led by a red-hot Jordan Love playing at near-MVP level, is one of the toughest matchups in the NFL right now. To slow Love down, Chicago needs its linebacking core at full capacity.
And with Edwards and Sewell finally back — combined with Ben Johnson’s commitment to reshaping the scheme — the Bears enter Week 14 not just with renewed hope, but with a new defensive identity beginning to take shape.
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