Jeremiah Ratliff

Ratliff was one of the few overachievers on a pitiful Bears defense last season, registering 37 tackles and 6.5 sacks in just 11 games. Those numbers were especially impressive for a player who lined up primarily as a tackle, and Ratliff might have submitted the best single-game performances of any NFL lineman on Oct. 19 against the Dolphins, when he recorded 3.5 sacks (all in the first half) and a team-leading seven tackles. The four-time Pro Bowler will turn 34 in August and isn’t the same force on a week-to-week basis that he was during his heyday with the Cowboys, but he’s still viewed as a pillar on the Chicago defensive line. Ratliff’s ability to slot in at either nose tackle or end should allow for a smooth transition to the new 3-4 scheme implemented by coordinator Vic Fangio, though the setup does figure to inhibit his sack production as he takes on more of a run-stopping role. Nonetheless, even if his counting stats dwindle, Ratliff should be perfectly dependable from a real-life perspective, so long as he stays on the field. After missing 26 games overall in the past three seasons, Ratliff will have to sit out right out of the gate in 2015 after receiving a three-game suspension from the league in August, which stemmed from his guilty plea in a Jan. 2013 DWI arrest.