Ryan Pace is no fool. He knows that the Minnesota Vikings may have gone to the NFC championship but the biggest obstacle to the playoffs remains the same. That’s Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The only way the Chicago Bears are going to break through that green and gold ceiling is if they can beat the Packers at their own game. That’s finding ways to fluster the quarterback while having your own put up points.
The Bears hope they solved the first part of that puzzle with the acquisition of Mitch Trubisky. The young quarterback made progress in his rookie season. Matt Nagy arriving as head coach should begin the process of putting a new system around him that favors the quarterback. Pace is also likely to go hunting for better weapons at wide receiver.
On the surface, it seemed like the Bears were making headway with the other part: a strong pass defense. They finished the year that way, ranking seventh in the league. However, Rodgers reminded them of their mortality with his surgical performance on Thursday night last October. So while the pass defense is good, it’s not good enough.
Maybe it’s time to stop messing around.
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Ryan Pace needs to follow the Jaguars blueprint to get at Rodgers
Through the first five seasons as a starter, Rodgers looked mortal (for the most part) when playing the Bears defense. Why was this? He’d say the biggest reason was the presence of Brian Urlacher and his ability to constantly adjust to what the Packers did. That was part of it. An overlooked part was how solid the Bears were at cornerback.
They had Pro Bowler Charles Tillman who was in his prime along with solid starters like Nathan Vasher and Tim Jennings (who became another Pro Bowler). It’s been rough sledding for the defense since those names left the roster. Finally last season it looked like there was hope with the emergence of Kyle Fuller.
It looks like the Bears will be able to retain the 26-year old after his breakout season (2 INTs, 22 passes defended) after placing the transition tag on him. Together he and veteran Prince Amukamara made for a solid tandem. Yet it felt like the team could still do better. A realization the Jacksonville Jaguars reached with Amukamara the year before. Their answer? Go out and sign A.J. Bouye in free agency. Now he’s a Pro Bowler and their defense is one of the best in the league.
Can the Bears make a similar move? Draft expert Todd McShay thinks so.
Denzel Ward could be the ideal complement to Fuller
The ESPN analyst released his latest mock draft following the scouting combine. This is typically when the top players on most boards are set. That’s why it was interesting to see who he chose for the Bears at #8 overall.
Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State*
“Calvin Ridley is still my top-ranked WR, but he had a mixed combine workout. The Bears do need playmakers on the outside for second-year QB Mitchell Trubisky, but right now, there are simply too many higher-graded players on the board available. Even if Chicago keeps Kyle Fuller (it placed the transition tag on him), the Bears need a lockdown CB. Ward is that guy, and his blazing 4.32 40 cemented his spot as the No. 1 CB in this draft.”
Every notable expert going into the draft has proclaimed that Ward is either #1 or #2 among cornerbacks in the class. Most of them claim the former. His pure speed, athleticism, fluidity, and quickness allow him to blanket wide receivers like few in this sport can. They even say he might be better than former teammate Marshon Lattimore who just won Defensive Rookie of the Year.
There’s one problem though. Ward is 5’10”. That’s shorter than desired for a top NFL corner. It means he might struggle against bigger receivers and also could be more susceptible to injury. Vic Fangio is a defensive coordinator known for preferring longer corners. So somebody like Ward would be a departure from the norm.
Still, it’s impossible to deny the kid has game. He and Fuller could make for a suffocating duo and something Rodgers hasn’t seen in Chicago for years.
