Does GM Ryan Pace have one more significant move in mind? If he does, the general belief is he’s saving it to upgrade an area of the roster that needs help the most. Provided that’s the case, then there’s no question the Chicago Bears pass rush will be the area of focus. The reasoning has been discussed many times already.
Veteran contributors like Pernell McPhee, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young were ushered out either due to money, age or injury considerations. In some cases, it was all three. This left Leonard Floyd as their only proven rusher and he’s coming off a season-ending knee injury. After him, it’s a mix of calculated risks (Aaron Lynch and Kylie Fitts) and unproven projects (Isaiah Irving).
Given how much the team will be relying on the defense to shoulder the load this season, not to mention how loaded the NFC North is at quarterback, it’s not ideal. This is why concern remains strong over the state of the pass rush, and why some think another move could be forthcoming. It’s just a matter of where, when and who.
Chicago Bears pass rush could benefit from being a 2nd chance haven
As of now, there’s no chance the Bears are going to land an established starter. It just doesn’t happen. Not unless a team makes a shocking move. Instead, Pace will have to see if he can find a bargain somewhere that may bring some upside. He knows he has a key advantage with the presence of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. So there’s an ability to take more risk if need be.
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This is why the name Shaq Lawson continues to come up. It appears the 23-year old former first round pick is not in good standing with the Buffalo Bills. This comment during a Q&A by GM Brandon Beane confirms that much.
“Shaq is a guy that this franchise put a lot of stock in with a first-round pick [in 2016]…..It’s no secret he hasn’t lived up to that.”
He wasn’t alone. Longtime Bills beat writer Vic Carucci also took a pessimistic view of the situation. If anything he has a far gloomier opinion of Lawson’s situation.
“Parting ways with Lawson makes perfect sense to me. He’s not remotely close to being a good fit on Sean McDermott’s team.
I’ve heard him say all the right things to the media about being aware of his shaky roster status and intensifying his efforts to become a better player, but I’m not buying it.”
This isn’t the first time a young player has fallen out of favor when a new regime comes into power. Questions of work ethic and effort can happen to kids that age a lot. Lawson has even hinted at not realizing what he was getting into when he first arrived. Since then he’s put in work to cut weight and regain the explosion he had at Clemson. It just might be too little, too late in Buffalo.
Chicago though could give him a fresh start. People already saw what Fangio did for Kyle Fuller, another former first rounder who looked like he was floundering. He could do the same for Lawson, who might be a better fit in the Bears’ system. If nothing else, he’d give them some welcome depth at a position where it’s sorely needed.
