Prince Amukamara said he signed with the Chicago Bears in 2017 for one reason. He wanted to play for Vic Fangio. He’d heard good things about the defensive coordinator from people he trusted and so decided to sign with the team. He ended up being a reliable starter for that season, helping the defense to finish 10th overall in the NFL.
When Fangio chose to re-sign with the Bears this offseason, Amukamara made it clear to his agent that he wasn’t signing anywhere else. He inked a new three-year deal and will resume his starting role moving forward. Now with more experience in the current system, he has high expectations for what’s to come in 2018.
Not just from a team defense perspective either. At age 29 he’s at his physical peak. This is usually when an NFL player can turn in the best seasons of his career. While he’s had some decent years in the past, Amukamara seems to think he can still do a lot better. That includes something no Bears corner has ever done.
Prince Amukamara wishes to tie teams’ single-season record
In speaking with the Chicago Tribune, the cornerback made his ambitions for this season clear. He doesn’t just expect to improve his stat line. He wants to take it into the stratosphere, as high as any Bears defensive back in history.
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“I’m really looking for a 10-pick season. I’m reaching for the stars, right?” he said. “But at the same time, I know what I’m capable of. I know how hard I’ve worked. And every year I keep putting those goals out there. Because when it finally does happen, I can circle back to the time that I said it.”
Only one player in Bears history has ever reached the 10-interception mark. That was safety Mark Carrier back in 1990. No cornerback has ever done it. Tim Jennings came the closest with nine in 2012. So Amukamara would be making notable history if he pulls this off. The problem is it’s hard to take him seriously.
To date, he only has seven interceptions in his entire career. That’s a span of 83 games. He hasn’t had an interception since September 24th of 2015. Truth be told while he’s a quality cover corner, creating takeaways has always been his biggest drawback. It’s nice that he’s setting this goal for himself. Everybody needs something to shoot for, but this feels just a teeny bit unrealistic for him.
