People talk about the Chicago Bears and their stubbornness about Mitch Trubisky. How they refuse to see the writing on the wall and move on. Well at least Trubisky had a good year in his career in 2018. One can understand that. So what exactly continues to propel them forward on Leonard Floyd. This is a player who has watched his overall sack total decrease every single season since being drafted 9th overall.
- 7.5 in 2016
- 4.5 in 2017
- 4 in 2018
- 3 in 2019
Yet GM Ryan Pace has continued to stand his ground, insisting the team sees value in keeping Floyd across from Khalil Mack. Why? Oh because he plays good coverage and is strong against the run. Look those traits are nice to have in an outside linebacker, but they aren’t what pay the bills in this league. Floyd was drafted to sack quarterbacks. Pace said he’s been close a lot of times. He just needs to learn how to finish.
Is this true? Not according to a chart created by ESPN’s Seth Walder. One that illustrates pass rush win rate vs. how often a player is doubled teamed. Floyd not only saw himself rarely get doubled, but his win rate was near the bottom of the spectrum as well.
Leonard Floyd has been “learning” for four years
It would be one thing if Floyd were like a 2nd round pick. Then people might understand his slow progress. This guy was a top 10 pick. That comes with certain expectations. He was tagged as the edge rusher of the future for Chicago. Just two years later the Bears were so confident in him that they traded a bounty of draft picks to the Raiders for Khalil Mack. Now he’d get to face single blocking all the time.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Even then he hasn’t delivered.
Mack may be a superstar but he can’t do everything himself. It’s the responsibility of this organization to maximize his greatness while they can. Floyd clearly isn’t the man to help do that. Certainly not at the ridiculous $13.222 million price tag he’s set to collect. Do the Bears risk losing some value in coverage and against the run if they part ways? Sure. That said, this defense is good enough to survive without them. Especially if they find somebody who can do what he hasn’t.
Put the QB on his back.
