Fans really have had time to process things yet. After all, this 2017 offseason was an eventful one. Still, if there is something to get excited about it has to be the upcoming slew of Chicago Bears position battles set to begin. Don't for a second thing that most things are already set in stone. That is just not the case.
Some battles can even carry into the regular season. That is how undecided a coaching staff can be and how heated a competition can get. On a roster that went 3-13 a year ago, there are few men who can say their job to totally secure. Maybe Jordan Howard, Josh Sitton, Kyle Long, Cody Whitehair, Akiem Hicks and Leonard Floyd being the only ones.
Outside of them it's basically a free-for-all. So it's time to explore the upcoming battles that could be the most pivotal to the teams' success. Who will be involved and most importantly who will emerge victorious.
The Bears were wise to sign free agent Jaye Howard. Depth up front is often critical to the success of a defense. They didn't really have it in 2016. Now they do. Regarding who will start alongside Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman is the more interesting question. Veteran Mitch Unrein appeared to hold that job with second-year man Jonathan Bullard his primary competition. That changed when Howard arrived.
In 2015 when he was healthy, Howard was one of the better 3-4 defensive ends in the league. Solid against the run and producing 5.5 sacks. Last year health got in the way. Hence why the Bears signed him to an incentive-laden contract.
The arrivals of Marcus Cooper and Prince Amukamara, along with the return of Kyle Fuller should give the Bears options at the boundary corner positions. That should make the competition for the slot corner job one of the most interesting on the entire defense. Cre'Von LeBlanc and Bryce Callahan have shown a lot of potential over the past year. Both showcasing their ability to play sound coverage and make plays.
Callahan has issues with health, having missed multiple games with various injuries. LeBlanc has size concerns and wasn't always consistent in his first year. Neither of them have a definite role in the starting defense, which makes the third "slot" corner job perhaps their only window onto the field.
Veteran Quintin Demps is almost certain to get one of the two starting safety jobs. The reason why is obvious enough. His experience, athleticism and ball skills would all be most welcome. Finding who will play next to him is the big question. Adrian Amos is likely the early favorite given his experience in the system but he's by no means safe.
Second-year man Deon Bush brings a nice physical edge that could be good to have if his discipline and instincts improve. Then there's rookie Eddie Jackson, known for his range, leadership and ball skills at Alabama. It seems the competition will be wide open with a simple stipulation. Whomever makes the most plays wins the job.
SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 09: Zach Miller #86 of the Chicago Bears celebrates a touchdown reception against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on November 9, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)[/caption]
Jordan Howard is the established man at running back for the Bears. From this point forward the idea is trying to find a complimentary guy. Somebody who can give him some time on the bench during games to catch his wind. All the while bringing a different skill set that makes the offense more diverse. Jeremy Langford had hoped to be more than that last year but now he's in danger of not even having a role at all.
The addition of Tarik Cohen in the draft has put his roster spot in direct jeopardy. Both players are known for their decent speed and agility. Langford has the size and short yardage advantage, but Cohen is more electric in the open field. Not to mention a greater value on special teams.
Kyle Long said Mike Glennon needs to get his competitive shoes on. He wasn't lying. No matter what the team has said to this point, that starting job is not reserved just yet. Glennon may be the high priced free agent and Mitch Trubisky the inexperienced rookie, but facts are facts. The Bears see Trubisky as their future. He won't see the field until they're comfortable he can handle it. So what happens if he's outperforming Glennon in training camp.
One must not forget that Trubisky is the #2 overall pick. That's not by accident. He's a talented young player heralded for his work ethic and preparation. He had to endure two years on the bench at North Carolina. One can imagine he's not wild about more of the same in Chicago. What a statement it would be if he won the job outright. Sure it would take a ton of convincing, but it is far from impossible?
Jaye Howard vs. Mitch Unrein
The Bears were wise to sign free agent Jaye Howard. Depth up front is often critical to the success of a defense. They didn't really have it in 2016. Now they do. Regarding who will start alongside Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman is the more interesting question. Veteran Mitch Unrein appeared to hold that job with second-year man Jonathan Bullard his primary competition. That changed when Howard arrived.
In 2015 when he was healthy, Howard was one of the better 3-4 defensive ends in the league. Solid against the run and producing 5.5 sacks. Last year health got in the way. Hence why the Bears signed him to an incentive-laden contract.
Winner: Jaye Howard
The fact is he's just better than Unrein at both key roles. He was a higher rated run defender when healthy and proved he's easily a more productive pass rusher. Throw in the fact that Unrein is pushing into his 30s and nothing short of another injury will likely stop Howard from claiming that third starting spot.
Cre'Von LeBlanc vs. Bryce Callahan
The arrivals of Marcus Cooper and Prince Amukamara, along with the return of Kyle Fuller should give the Bears options at the boundary corner positions. That should make the competition for the slot corner job one of the most interesting on the entire defense. Cre'Von LeBlanc and Bryce Callahan have shown a lot of potential over the past year. Both showcasing their ability to play sound coverage and make plays.
Callahan has issues with health, having missed multiple games with various injuries. LeBlanc has size concerns and wasn't always consistent in his first year. Neither of them have a definite role in the starting defense, which makes the third "slot" corner job perhaps their only window onto the field.
Winner: Cre'Von LeBlanc
It always comes back to reliability. Callahan, for all his flashes of brilliance hasn't shown he can stay on the field for more than a few games at a time. LeBlanc should be able to use that to his advantage at some point when it matters.
Adrian Amos vs. Eddie Jackson vs. Deon Bush
Veteran Quintin Demps is almost certain to get one of the two starting safety jobs. The reason why is obvious enough. His experience, athleticism and ball skills would all be most welcome. Finding who will play next to him is the big question. Adrian Amos is likely the early favorite given his experience in the system but he's by no means safe.
Second-year man Deon Bush brings a nice physical edge that could be good to have if his discipline and instincts improve. Then there's rookie Eddie Jackson, known for his range, leadership and ball skills at Alabama. It seems the competition will be wide open with a simple stipulation. Whomever makes the most plays wins the job.
Winner: Eddie Jackson
It's true he's coming off a broken leg suffered last year. Even so the fact remains Jackson possesses more of the tangible and intangible traits that make good NFL safeties than anybody else on that depth chart. His rookie status would be covered up well enough by playing alongside Demps and the potential turnovers he could create will be a great trade off. [caption id="attachment_69464" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 09: Zach Miller #86 of the Chicago Bears celebrates a touchdown reception against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on November 9, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)[/caption]
Zach Miller vs. Adam Shaheen
With respect to Dion Sims, he was never a legitimate option to become the starter at tight end. He's essentially a well-paid blocker who has some receiving prowess. He's not going to be the true weapon in the passing game. That job will either belong to veteran Zach Miller or uber-talented rookie Adam Shaheen. For Miller he knows this is his last shot. He's 33-years old and coming off another season-ending injury. Shaheen comes up from Division II Ashland. There is no doubting his physical skill but he's also somewhat raw in a lot of areas. How he's able to refine his fundamentals will go a long way towards determining the winner of this battle. Not to mention the questions of health. A case of reliability more than anything.Winner: Zach Miller
Pace said he was confident Shaheen could play earlier than people think. That may be true but barring another injury it's hard to see him surpassing Miller. The guy is a locker room favorite and still effective as a receiving threat when he can stay on the field.
Jeremy Langford vs. Tarik Cohen
Jordan Howard is the established man at running back for the Bears. From this point forward the idea is trying to find a complimentary guy. Somebody who can give him some time on the bench during games to catch his wind. All the while bringing a different skill set that makes the offense more diverse. Jeremy Langford had hoped to be more than that last year but now he's in danger of not even having a role at all.
The addition of Tarik Cohen in the draft has put his roster spot in direct jeopardy. Both players are known for their decent speed and agility. Langford has the size and short yardage advantage, but Cohen is more electric in the open field. Not to mention a greater value on special teams.
Winner: Tarik Cohen
Langford regressed considerably in 2016. He still has inconsistent hands, can't break tackles to save his life and failed to find a role after Howard replaced him. Cohen should have no problem finding a clearly defined place in the system.
Mitch Trubisky vs. Mike Glennon
Kyle Long said Mike Glennon needs to get his competitive shoes on. He wasn't lying. No matter what the team has said to this point, that starting job is not reserved just yet. Glennon may be the high priced free agent and Mitch Trubisky the inexperienced rookie, but facts are facts. The Bears see Trubisky as their future. He won't see the field until they're comfortable he can handle it. So what happens if he's outperforming Glennon in training camp.
One must not forget that Trubisky is the #2 overall pick. That's not by accident. He's a talented young player heralded for his work ethic and preparation. He had to endure two years on the bench at North Carolina. One can imagine he's not wild about more of the same in Chicago. What a statement it would be if he won the job outright. Sure it would take a ton of convincing, but it is far from impossible?
Winner: Mike Glennon
The key person in this decision process is John Fox. He undoubtedly was the one pushing hard for Glennon because he hates playing rookies if he doesn't have to. The last time he started a rookie QB his team went 2-14. Odds are he shies away from that idea.Comments
Join the discussion below. Keep it civil and focused on the content.
Loading comments...