Leslie Frazier texted Eberflus congratulating him on Tremaine Edmunds

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The Bears, apparently, got a good one in Tremaine Edmunds. 

Amid news dropping of the four-year deal Edmunds signed with the Bears, his former defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier, reportedly texted Matt Eberflus and Alan Williams congratulating them on signing him, according to Larry Meyer. Frazier characterized Edmunds as "one of the premier linebackers in our league" in the text. 

"They're getting a tremendous player, a guy who has been to a few Pro Bowls, so that tells you that he's played at a high level," Frazier said to ChicagoBears.com. "And he's still a very young player; five years in the league and he's 24 years old. He's really ascended. He's not a guy who's reached his peak by any means."

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Edmunds, 24, has played five seasons in the NFL, entirely with the Buffalo Bills. He was drafted with the No. 16 pick in the 2018 NFL draft by the Bills and has two Pro Bowl nods to his name since entering the league. 

Over five seasons, he's played and started in 74 games, recording 565 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 18 quarterback hits and 6.5 sacks. 

The Bears are likely bringing in Edmunds to replace the likes of Roquan Smith in Eberflus' defense. He should be slotted as the WILL linebacker, responsible for high turnover production. 

However, this is where some of the confusion lies with signing Edmunds. The Bears were unhappy with Smith's inability to create turnovers. His ball-hawking skills weren't enough to sign him to the $100 million contract the Baltimore Ravens granted him, at least in the Bears' eyes. 

Yet, Edmunds' turnover statistics are no better on paper. Over five seasons, he's created seven turnovers (five interceptions, two forced fumbles). Why does Poles believe Edmunds is a good fit for their defensive scheme?

"The length, the speed, the coverage ability in terms of just the space that he covers," Ryan Poles said to the media on Thursday. "Matt and his group think they can take him over the edge with some of the ball production."

More so than Smith? 

"I'm not going to compare the two, but I think he can be very productive in this in the system," Poles said. 

Despite the eyebrow-raising fit, the Bears plan to work with Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, who the Bears signed in tandem with Edmunds, to create a dominant second level. 

Fraizer thinks he'll fit right in, too. 

"He's a tremendous leader as well," Frazier said. "Not only is he a good football player—a guy who can make plays—but his teammates, they really gravitate to him, and they look to him to lead, both on the field and off the field, in the locker room and the classroom. He's that type of guy.

"They're getting a special player who's a tremendous leader and who's also a great person. His parents did a great job of instilling in him the importance of integrity and just being a high-character individual."

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