Defensive Tackle : Fred Williams 
Williams was drafted in the fifth round of the 1952 draft by the Bears. He earned a starting job immediately and was outstanding. He was named to the Pro Bowl after he intercepted a pass and rumbled 54 yards. He returned to the Pro Bowl the next year as well.
Chicago needed help along their offensive line in 1954, so Williams was moved to that side of the ball to play guard. This experiment lasted one season, as he was permanently moved back to defensive tackle the following year.
He became the constant stalwart on the interior of the Bears defense in the 1950's. He intercepted another pass in 1956, returning it 11 yards. The 1958 season may have been his best, as he was named to the Pro Bowl and named First Team All-NFL by The Sporting News. He returned to the Pro Bowl for the final time of his career in 1959.
He was injured most of 1963, playing in just five games, but was able to suit up at the end of the year and help the Bears win the NFL Championship. He then joined the Washington Redskins the next year, and played two more seasons before retiring.
No other defensive tackle in Bears history has gone to more Pro Bowls than the four Fred Williams played in. He was excellent against the run, and kept blockers away from Hall of Fame middle linebacker Bill George. He teamed up with Hall of Famers like Doug Atkins and Stan Jones along the Bears defensive line in his career, as well as with Bears legend Ed Sprinkle. Williams may very well be the best defensive tackle in team history.
Defensive Tackle : Wally Chambers 
Chambers was the Bears first round draft choice in 1973, and his impact was immediate and tremendous. He was so dominating that he was named the the Pro Bowl and became the first Bear ever to be named Defensive Rookie of the Year.
After a good 1974 season, he returned the Pro Bowl in both 1975 and 1976. He was also named First Team All-Pro in 1976. There were few defensive tackles in the league better than the 6'6" 250 pond Chambers. He then suffered a devastating knee injury in 1977 that limited him to four games.
Chambers was then traded the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1978 for a first round draft pick and tight end Bob Moore, and was used as a reserve defensive end mostly that year. The pick Chicago got turned out to be Hall of Famer Dan Hampton. Chambers earned the starting job the next year, and Tampa Bay would make it to the NFC Championship before losing. He then retired.
Wally Chambers is the first defensive tackle in Bears history to be named First Team All-Pro, and his three Pro Bowls is the second most ever by a Chicago defensive tackle. He was, for a short time, as dominant a defensive player that there ever was at his position.
Steve McMichaels, Jim Osborne, Dick Evey, Jim Flanagan, Ted Washington, William Perry, and
Bill Bishop deserve mention.
Defensive End : Ed "The Claw" Sprinkle 
Sprinkle was signed as an undrafted free agent by Chicago in 1944 because Hall of Fame Bears center Clyde "Bulldog" Turner recommended him to owner/ coach George Halas. Turner had attended the same college, Hardin-Simmons, as Sprinkle and was familiar with him.
He was brought along slowly initially to gain weight and muscle, but it became quite apparent that Sprinkle excelled on defense. His was called "The Claw" because of his ability to shed blockers with his strong left arm from his right defensive end position.
His 1946 season saw him catch the first seven passes of his career for two touchdowns. He would gather in 25 more balls up until 1952, but his impact on defense was valuable that Chicago limited his time on offense. The Bears would end up winning the 1946 NFL championship by defeating the New York Giants 24-14.
The Bears tied the Los Angeles Rams for first place in their division in 1950, so the teams battled in playoff game that the Rams won 24-14. It would be the last time that Sprinkle played in the postseason, but the first year he attained a Pro Bowl nod. He would return to the Pro Bowl in each of the next three years.
It was also the first year he wore the number seven on his jersey, the same number that Halas had worn in his days of a player. Though other players wore that number since, it is considered a retired number now in honor of "Papa Bear" Halas.
By the time he retired after the 1955 season, he had a career where he played with some of the greatest players in NFL history. Men like Turner, Bill George, Sid Luckman, George Connor, Doug Atkins, and George Blanda played defense with him and are all members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Sprinkle was dubbed "The Meanest Man in Pro Football" in his playing days. He used his left arm in ways that opponents accused him of dirty play, especially after the whistle had sounded to halt the action. There are also those who say he used his cleats to stomp on the opposition.
He disputed these claims in an interview, saying that he was about as aggressive as any other player in the league and that he would have faced retribution if he was a dirty player. He was never fined nor suspended for any of his actions on the field.
"A guy wouldn't have lasted long in those days playing dirty.", he said. "The others would take care of him. They would call a play and try to bury him with six or eight guys, or blindside him. There were so many ways to do it."
Halas often said that not only was Sprinkle the greatest pass rusher he ever saw play, but that he was the roughest player the Bears ever had. He probably would have went to more Pro Bowls if defensive ability was more recognized then, but the honor often went to pass catching ends until later in his career.
His owner, teammates, coaches, and Bears fans loved and admired him. Though "The Claw" might be most renowned for his rough and tumble style of play, there are many Bears historians that agree with Halas that Ed Sprinkle was the greatest pass rushing defensive end to ever wear their jersey.
Defensive End : Richard Dent 
Dent was an eighth round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in the 1983 draft. He earned playing time with the Bears in his rookie season as it progressed. He ended up starting three games, and recorded three sacks. Firmly entrenched as the Bears starting defensive end in 1984, Dent went wild and collected a career best 17.5 sacks and was selected to his first Pro Bowl.
The 1985 season is a year most Bears fan remember as one of the best teams in franchise history. Dent was certainly a key member on a defense that ranked first in the NFL in total defense. He led the NFL with 17 sacks, intercepted two passes, and returned one for his first NFL touchdown. He also also forced a career best seven fumbles that year. Dent was selected to his second Pro Bowl after the season.
He was even better once the Bears made the playoffs, recording 3.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles in a win over the New York Giants. He then sacked the Los Angeles quarterback once, and forced a fumble in the NFC Championship game. That ball was returned for a touchdown, sealing the victory over the Rams. In Super Bowl XX, he had two sacks and forced two fumbles and was named the Super Bowl MVP in the Bears win.
Over the next four seasons, Dent missed nine games due to injuries.He still managed to garner 43.5 sacks and an interception over that time. Dent returned to full health in 1990, and he picked off a career best three interceptions while scoring the last touchdown of his career off of a fumble recovery. He also had 12 sacks, and was named to his third Pro Bowl as well.
By 1993, he was 33 years old, and would make his final Pro Bowl that year. He had 12.5 sacks, and intercepted the last pass of his career. He then joined the San Francisco 49ers in 1994. Though injured, playing just two games and recording two sacks, the 49ers went on to win Super Bowl XXIX and Dent was given his second Super Bowl ring.
He returned to the Bears for the 1995 season, but could not stay healthy. He played just three games, and it was his only season he did not record a sack. He moved on to play for the Indianapolis Colts in 1996, and was mainly used as a pass rushing specialist, picking up 6.5 sacks and recorded a safety. He then joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997, recording 4.5 sacks as a pass rushing specialist. Dent then retired after that year with the third most sacks in NFL history, a statistic not officially recorded until 1982.
Richard Dent's induction into the Hall Of Fame seems eminent. He has a few good things going for him in his case. One is that he played in Chicago, a noted media outlet. The second is that the great Bears defense in 1985 has only two members in Canton. He is one of the best defensive ends to have ever played for the Bears.
John Siegal, George Wilson, Luke Johnsos, Bill Nowasky, Ed O'Bradovich, Trace Armstrong, Al Harris, and
Mike Hartenstine deserve mention.
Outside Linebacker : Joe Fortunato 
Fortunato was drafted in the seventh round of the 1952 draft by the Bears. He quickly earned a starting job of the famed "Monsters of the Midway" defense alongside Hall of Fame linebackers Bill George and George Conner. Chicago also had an excellent defensive line that featured Hall of Fame defensive end Doug Atkins and Pro Bowl defensive tackles Fred Williams and Bill Bishop.
After starting his career at the left outside linebacker position, he was moved to the right side in 1957. He made his first Pro Bowl in 1958, then was permanently moved back to the left side the next season for the rest of his career.
He returned to the Pro Bowl in 1962 after matching his career best mark of three interceptions. He then would return to the Pro Bowl each year until 1965, and would be named First Team All-Pro three straight seasons. His 1963 season saw the Bears win the NFL Championship behind the best defense in the league that allowed a paltry 10.3 points scored against them per game.
The 1964 season saw him miss one game, which would be the only time in his entire career that he failed to play over 12 years. The 1966 season witnessed him scoring the only touchdown of his career off a fumble recovery, then retiring at the conclusion of the year.
No other outside linebacker in Bears history has been to more Pro Bowls or been named First Team All-Pro more than him. His 155 games played stood as a team record for outside linebackers until Doug Buffone passed it in 1978. It still stands second on the list behind Buffone.
Though Joe Fortunato has yet to be inducted into Canton, one can see he obviously is worthy. His career accolades outnumbers 2008 inductee Andre Tippett, an outside linebacker who was not as complete a defender as he was. The Bears have never had a finer defender at this position than him.
Outside Linebacker : Wilber Marshall 
Marshall was the Bears first round pick in 1984. He was brought along slowly in his rookie year, spending most of his time playing special teams. When he was elevated to the starting lineup the next year, it coincided with Chicago putting together a magical season where the defense led the league in virtually every category possible.
The wrinkle that was perhaps most important was the versatility Marshall brought them. In the frenzied blitz scheme Chicago ran, his ability to blitz and cover opposing receivers was crucial. He had a career high six sacks and four interceptions as the Bears would go on to win Super Bowl XX. His fumble recovery against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship resulted in a 52 yard scamper into the end zone, and he had a sack and fumble recovery in the Super Bowl.
He made his first Pro Bowl in 1986, as well as being named First Team All-Pro, after getting 5.5 sacks and a career best five interceptions. One interception was returned a career long 58 yards for a touchdown, and he also took a fumble recovery in for a score. He returned to the Pro Bowl again the next season, which was his last with the Bears.
There hadn't been a free agent player in 11 years to sign with another team in the NFL until Marshall signed with the Washington Redskins. It cost the Redskins two first round draft picks, which turned out to be wide receiver Wendall Davis and defensive end Trace Armstrong, to sign him. Marshall rewarded Washington for signing him by averaging over 124 tackles in his five years with them.
In 1991, the Redskins would win Super Bowl XXVI that was one of the better teams the NFL has seen in the past 30 years. They finished first overall in offense, setting several records along the way, and had an excellent defense that finished second overall in the league. Their defense gave up 14 points per game, which is very close to the 12.4 points allowed by the fabled 1985 Bears defense. Marshall again was a key reason for this.
He matched his career best mark of five interceptions, and returned one 54 yards for a score. He also forced a career best four fumbles, had 5.5 sacks, and 135 tackles. In the Redskins 41-10 dismantling of the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship, he had three sacks. He also had another sack in the Super Bowl.
He made his final Pro Bowl in 1993, and was named First Team All-Pro, after matching his career high mark of six sacks. He also had a career best 138 tackles and collected two interceptions. One was returned for the final touchdown of his career. His contract expired, so he decided to reunite with former Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan in Houston as a member of the Oilers.
It was a season that saw him miss six games because of injuries, though he did collect two sacks. When Ryan accepted the head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals in 1994, Marshall went with him and started all 15 games he played. He then joined the New York Jets in 1995 and had two interceptions and a sack in a mostly reserve role. He retired after that year.
Of the 45 sacks he had in his 12 seasons as a player, 16.5 came in his four years in Chicago. He also had none of his 23 interceptions with the Bears, and his 295 tackles still ranks 19th best in franchise history. His time as a Bear was short, but no one can deny the tremendous impact Wilbur Marshall had. The franchises lone Super Bowl trophy serves as both proof and a symbol of his excellence.
Bones Weatherly, Otis Wilson, Jim Purnell, Gary Campbell, Ron Rivera, Jim Morrissey, special teams star Brenden Ayanbadejo, and
Larry Morris deserve mention.
Linebacker : Doug Buffone 
Buffone was drafted in the fourth round of the 1966 draft by the Bears. He spent his rookie year as a reserve, but earned a starting job the next year. He responded by scoring the only touchdown of his career off of a fumble recovery, and intercepted three balls.
He continued to be a steady and consistent player over the next eight years, and never missed a game. He was injured in the second game during the 1976 season, and missed the first 12 games of his career. It was also just the second season he failed to record an interception.
When he retired after the 1979 season, his 24 career interceptions were the most by a Bears linebacker and still are today. His 184 games were the most until Steve McMichael passed it in 1993, and still ranks second best. He had over 1,100 tackles in his career, and seven seasons of 100 tackles or more. He was the last Bear to have played under Hall of Famer George "Papa Bear" Halas when he retired.
The Bears have a rich tradition of Hall of Fame linebackers, especially at the middle linebacker position. I could not find a better player than Buffone, so he wins this spot because he is truly a Bears legend.
Strong Safety : Richie Petitbon 
Petitbon was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 1959 draft, and he started right away. He has three interceptions and returned one for a touchdown. He then had seven interceptions over the next two years.
His first Pro Bowl season was in 1962 by leading the NFL with 212 yards on 6 interceptions. One went 101 yards for a touchdown, which is a Bears record. It was the second longest in NFL history at the time, and is still fifth longest behind 13 other players.
The Bears won the 1963 NFL Championship, and Petitbon helped by swiping eight balls and returning them for 161 yards. One went 66 yards for a score. He secured the Bears 14-10 win in the championship by intercepting a pass in the end zone with 10 seconds left. He was once again named to the Pro Bowl.
Despite getting no interceptions in 1964, he returned to the Pro Bowl in both 1966 and 1967 with nine total interceptions over that time. He left the Bears after 1968 to join former Bears defensive coordinator George Allen with the Los Angeles Rams. After two seasons there, he followed the Hall of Famer Allen to Washington to join the Redskins. After five interceptions for 102 yards in 1971, he suited up for just three games the next year and recorded no interceptions for just the second time in his career. After the Redskins lost in Super Bowl VII, he retired.
After retiring as a player, Petitbon became a top notch defensive coordinator for the Redskins. He oversaw defenses that helped the Redskins win three of four Super Bowl appearances over ten years. He spent one season as the head coach of Washington, succeeding Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, then retired.
His 37 interceptions with the Bears is the second most in team history, and was first until Gary Fencik surpassed it by one in 1986. His 643 return yards is far and away the most in franchise history, and his three touchdowns off interceptions is the second most. His 48 career interceptions still ranks 38th best in league history, and his 801 yards ranks 25th best.
There have few men to have an impact on the game of football the way Rich Petitbon has. He is probably the best safety to ever play for the Bears.
Gary Fencik, Dave Duerson, Todd Bell, Shaun Gayle, and
Don Kindt deserve mention.
Free Safety : Roosevelt Taylor 
Taylor joined the Bears as an undrafted free agent rookie in 1961. He was used as a reserve that year, which was the only season of his career he failed to intercept a pass.
He earned the starting job the next year, and would team with Rich Petitbon to be one of the premier safety tandems in all of football. He intercepted two balls and returned one for a score.
The 1963 season may have been his best. His nine interceptions led the league and was a career best, as was his 172 return yards. One was returned for a touchdown. He was named First Team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl, which helped the Bears capture the NFL Championship.
The 1967 saw Taylor pick off five balls and take a fumble recovery in for a score. He made the Pro Bowl the next year for the final time in his career after getting three swipes. One went 96 yards for the final score of his career, and is tied with Hall of Famer Clyde "Bulldog" Turner as the second longest interception return in team history.
After playing in the first six games of 1969 with Chicago, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers and had two interceptions in eight games. He followed that up with three picks in each of the next two years before joining the Washington Redskins in 1972.
Finding himself reunited with Petitbon and Hall of Fame coach George Allen, who was his defensive coordinator in Chicago until 1965, he started all 14 games and has an interception. The Redskins reached Super Bowl VII before losing to the undefeated Miami Dolphins 14-7. Taylor then retired.
His 23 interceptions with Chicago still ranks ninth best in Chicago franchise history, and his 414 return yards ranks fourth best. His three touchdowns via interceptions is tied as the most by any safety in team history, and is tied as the second most overall. He is also the first of two Bears free safeties, Mike Brown was the other in 2001, to be named First Team All-Pro.
Though Rosie Taylor played in the era of Hall of Fame free safety Willie Wood and Rams legend Ed Meador, he was an upper echelon player in his own right. He very well could be the best free safety Chicago ever saw wear a Bears jersey.
J.C. Caroline, Erich Barnes, Ray McLean, Mark Carrier, Mike Brown, and
Doug Plank deserve mention.
Cornerback : Donnell Woolford 
Woolford was drafted in the first round of the 1989 draft by the Bears. He earned the starting job right away and picked off three balls despite missing five games. The following season saw him get three more swipes, as well as two sacks, though he missed three more games due to injury.
The 1992 season may have been his best. He had a career high seven interceptions, 94 tackles, and returned the last 12 punts of his career for 127 yards. He had a career high 101 tackles the next year, to go with two interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl for his efforts.
His last year as a Bear was in 1996. He picked off six balls, and returned one for a touchdown. Woolford then joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1997, and started in 12 of the 15 games he played. He had four interceptions, then retired after the Steelers lost to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship.
His 32 interceptions with the Bears ranks as the third most in team history, and thost ever by a cornerback in franchise history. His 536 officially recorded tackles are the most ever by a Chicago cornerback and ranks seventh best overall. It is pretty evident he is one of the best cornerbacks ever in team history.
Cornerback : Bennie McRae 
McRae was drafted in the second round of the 1962 draft by the Bears. He was a reserve in his rookie year, but still managed to return a lone interception 47 yards. He was named a starter the next year, and would stay at left cornerback for the remainder of his Bears career.
He had a touchdown off a career high six interceptions in 1963, helping Chicago reach the championship game. The Bears defeated the New York Giants 14-10 in the game, and McRae got his hands on one of the five interceptions thrown by Hall of Fame quarterback Y.A. Tittle, who played most of the game severely injured.
McRae's 1965 season saw him gain a career best 116 yards off of four interceptions. One ball was returned 89 yards for a touchdown, which is the seventh longest interception return in team history.
He scored twice off of five interceptions in 1967, then picked off four more balls the next year. He missed the first game of his career in 1970, then joined the Giants for eight games the next season. It was the only year in his career that he failed to create a turnover, so he retired.
Bennie McRae scored four times off of interceptions in his career, which is the most in team history. It was tied by safety Mike Brown in 2005. His 27 career interceptions are the fourth most ever by a Bear, and his 485 yards returned by interceptions ranks third. He is obviously one of the best defensive backs in the teams long history.
Allan Ellis, Walt Harris, Jerry Azumah, Dave Whitsell, Terry Schmidt, Leslie Frazier, Mike Richardson, and special teams star
Larry Whigham deserve mention.
Punter : Bobby Joe Green 
Bobby Joe was drafted in the ninth round of the 1959 draft by the San Francisco 49ers, but ended up being cut and did not play football that season. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed him as a free agent in 1960, and he led the NFL with 64 punts for 2,889 yards. He also led the league with a career long 74 yard effort.
He averaged a career best 47 yards per punt and 3,431 yards the next year, on 73 attempts. The Steelers also asked him to kick the only field goal attempt of his career, but he missed.
He then joined the Bears in 1962 in exchange for Ed Brown, and would spend the rest of his career with Chicago. His punting in 1963, where he averaged 46.5 yards on 64 attempts, helped Chicago capture the NFL Championship. In 1966, he led the league with 80 punts for 3,358 yards.
The 1970 season saw Green become the first Bears punter ever to be named to the Pro Bowl after he had a career high 83 punts that totaled 3,395 yards. He led the NFL with 82 attempts in 1973, then he retired.
So far, he still is the only punter to ever make the Pro Bowl for the franchise. His 35,057 punting yards with them is the most in franchise history, and his 833 attempts rank as the second most.
His 41,317 career yards still rank as the 21st best in NFL history, and his 970 attempts are the 24th most. His 1961 and 1963 seasons both rank in the top 50 in NFL history as the best single season punting averages in NFL history, and his 42.6 career average ranks 59th best.
There should be little question to the fact that Bobby Joe Green is the best punter the Bears ever had play for them.
Ed Brown and
Bob Parsons deserve mention.
Punt Returner : Dennis McKinnon 
McKinnon joined the Bears in 1983 as an undrafted free agent. He started three games that year at wide receiver, and was able to grab 20 balls and score four times. He also scored another touchdown on a 59 yard punt return on 34 attempts.
Chicago had him return just nine punts over the next two years so he could focus on being a starting receiver. His best year may have been in the Bears 1985 championship season, where he scored a career best seven touchdowns on 34 receptions. He also averaged a career high 17.9 yards per catch. He caught two touchdown passes in the first playoff game against the New York Giants, as the Bears rolled to a 21-0 win.
Though he missed the 1986 season because of injury, Chicago asked him to return punts full time again in 1987. He had a career high 40 returns for 405 yards in 1988. He also set a team record by returning two punts for touchdowns. One came off a league leading 94 yard return that was also a record until Johnny Bailey passed it by one yard in 1990.
He caught a career best 45 passes for 704 yards the next year, and also rushed a ball in for a score. His biggest game that year came in the first round playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. In a game known as the "Fog Bowl", visibility was virtually nil due to the thick fog that covered Soldier Field in Chicago. He scored the first of only two touchdowns scored that day on a 64 yard pass, and ended up with a team leading four receptions for 108 yards in the Bears 20-12 win.
After returning 34 punts that season, he was asked to return just 10 more in 1989. It was his last as a Bear, because he joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1990. He played in a career low nine games that season, then retired.
His 1,191 punt return yards rank third best in team history, and he ranks 20th in receptions. Devin Hester passed his record for punt return touchdowns in a season, and Hall of Famer George McAfee holds the NFL record for a career average of 12.8 yards per return. Though both men rank ahead of him on the teams list of punt return yards, Bears fans recall the versatile McKinnon as an integral part of some excellent teams.
Steve Shubert, Ray McLean, R.W. McQuarters, and
Jeff Fisher deserve mention.
The ALMOST All-Time Chicago Bears Defense 
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