Probably the most intriguing signing of 2019 for the Chicago Bears was safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Here’s a former Pro Bowler entering the prime of his career. A man who played for the Green Bay Packers no less. Suddenly he decides to leave Washington, a team that traded for him, in order to sign with a team that he’d spent years trying to beat.
It makes one curious as to what exactly the Bears did to convince him. It wasn’t money, that’s for sure. Clinton-Dix ended up signing for just one year worth $3.5 million. By comparison, the man who replaced him in Washington, Landon Collins, netted $14 million a year. Odds are he would’ve garnered more money if he’d signed elsewhere.
So that leave the big question. What convinced him that taking a discount to play in Chicago was the right decision? As it turns out, the Bears can thank two of their most prominent team leaders. Both of whom personally attended Clinton-Dix’s visit to make sure the pitch was understood.
If Ha Ha Clinton-Dix thrives, Trubisky and Jackson deserve props
There is no doubt anymore that Mitch Trubisky and Eddie Jackson have emerged as two of the biggest voices in the Bears locker room. Their presence is impossible to ignore. Not only do they lead by their words, but also their actions. Each made it to the Pro Bowl this past season and have taken it upon themselves to do anything possible to make the team better.
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If that means recruiting other talented players to the cause? So be it.
How many other team will have two of their best players attend a meeting with a free agent? It’s not hard to think that it made a hell of an impression on Clinton-Dix. This was the sort of culture he wanted to play for. One completely dedicated to winning football games and having fun doing it. If he ends up regaining his old form, then those two deserve special mentions for making it happen.
