Three players who will drastically change the Chicago Bears’ 2018 season
Despite a wild loss, the Chicago Bears look like a force to be reckoned with in 2018; improvement from these players will only make them more fearsome.
Not much more needs to be said about what Khalil Mack has added to the team, but other newcomer Aaron Lynch has also provided some unexpected good play. While these players will look to build upon strong starts, there are a few teammates who, if they play up to their respective potentials, will drastically change the trajectory of this season.
While quarterback Mitch Trubisky could easily be slotted as the number one factor as to how far this team can go, his name will be left off this list because that’s fairly obvious.
Here are three players that will bolster this unit if they start to produce at a high level:
1. Leonard Floyd
Leonard Floyd has not played poorly, let’s get that out of the way first. Everyone sees zero sacks in the stat column and perceives his play as underwhelming. While it is true that Floyd needs to start getting to the quarterback more and body flip opposing players less, the main reason he isn’t having that type of specific production is more scheme than lackluster play.
Rarely do the Chicago Bears blitz, so when you see four or five men appearing to rush the quarterback, their individual assignments may say otherwise. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio has Floyd in pass coverage pretty often, as his athleticism allows for him to cover a range of players.
Floyd is able to take on other roles like pass coverage and run support duty due to a plethora of pass rush talent around him. Add into the mix that Floyd is recovering from both a hand AND knee injury (friendly fire) and it makes sense why the former first-round choice of the Bears is off to a slow start.
Imagine this though. This upcoming week against the Patriots, or perhaps the following week against the Jets, Floyd will be fully healthy. That means no cast inhibiting the use of his hands and a fully healthy lower body, bolstering his already immense athleticism.
Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks will continue to grow on the opposite side of the line, making Floyd’s job easier than it has been since he arrived in Chicago. When he is finally able to come into form towards the middle of the season, opposing offenses are going to have a real dilemma.
Essentially, if Floyd can become the pass rushing force we expect him to be, Chicago will unequivocally have the best pass rush in the league. That goes a long way.
2. Tarik Cohen
Matt Nagy is at an interesting crossroads with the running back position. Jordan Howard is a pro bowler that has over 2,600 yards and 16 touchdowns under his belt. However, through five games, it appears that his running mate, Tarik Cohen, fits the offense better.
Howard has a place in this offense. His vision is elite and he moves with a lot of finesse, which is special considering his stockier build. Cohen was compared to another playmaker from Nagy’s previous offense in Tyreek Hill before the season began. While Hill has much more production in his career thus far, Cohen has flashed instances of being able to replicate the success.
Here’s what’s evident about the start of the season. Nagy had been trying to limit the use of Tarik in the first three games. Sure, one can say that the gameplan called for Howard to punish opposing defenses in those games, but both Cohen and Howard were used in an entirely different way against Tampa Bay and Miami. The same explanation can be used of the gameplan calling for Cohen in these games but allow me to ask this: When is it ever really a disadvantage to have Cohen on the field? Pass blocking? Perhaps. But outside of that, Tarik Cohen creates matchup nightmares every time he lines up.
Nagy and the rest of the Bears’ organization have been trying to preserve this notion that Jordan Howard is the featured back. The problem is, Cohen might be the answer. Cohen can run screen plays better than Howard. He can run wheel routes out of the backfield. He can run streaks, slants, posts. He’s faster, he’s a more natural catcher of the football, he makes more people miss. Has a better YPC average and makes more explosive plays routinely.
Tarik Cohen’s skill set is so in-tune for Nagy’s offense that there has to be some tension within the locker room about touches.
Much like in the John Fox era, fans clamored that Tarik Cohen has been underutilized. Before week four, the same fans would have been saying the same things about his use from this staff. If Tarik Cohen can take on the role that Nagy and the rest of the offensive staff envision him being in, this offense could reach new heights. Imagine if Tarik Cohen was used like his counterpart in Kansas City.
3. Anthony Miller
Allen Robinson has been the most consistent receiver on the Bears serving as Trubisky’s safety blanket. While Robinson is an elite possession receiver, he sees very minimal downfield targets due to his fit in the offense.
This is where Anthony Miller steps in. Miller’s route running has been picturesque and he creates so much separation on his routes. It hasn’t truly been demonstrated yet but Miller is dangerous once given room to run after the catch. The last two weeks, Taylor Gabriel has excelled at generating downfield targets. Gabriel is going to garner more attention going further due to his speed, which will open up the field for Miller to make more game-breaking plays.
If Miller can establish himself as another dangerous option for Trubisky, the productivity of the offense has a chance to mirror the production of the defense. The more weapons this young quarterback can rely on, the more confident he’ll be going down the stretch.
Trubisky made some big throws late in the game against Miami, and that confidence starts with Anthony Miller and the rest of the blossoming receiving corp.
