The Kyle Fuller saga has been a weird one for the Chicago Bears. A 14th overall pick in 2014, most hoped he was the heir apparent to Charles Tillman. He had four interceptions as a rookie, but regressed badly between the second half of that year and first half of 2015. Then thinks began to rebound by November of his second season.
He was playing with more confidence and not giving up a lot of big plays. It looked like he was indeed a staple for the Bears secondary moving forward. All that changed with a bothersome knee forced him into surgery. He would miss the entire 2016 season. Fans were left not knowing how to feel about the young cornerback.
The Bears didn’t pick up the fifth year option in his contract. That was a pretty clear statement. Still, GM Ryan Pace insisted they were going to give him every opportunity to regain his standing in the lineup. A contract extension remains a serious possibility, provided he proves he can perform.
Kyle Fuller saga could be taking a turn for the better
Early returns from training camp have caught many fans by surprise. Fuller not only has participated in every practice, indicating a healthy knee. He’s been making plays. The most recent, a second padded practice, saw him have his best day yet. It created a buzz that maybe the light was starting to go on for him.
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Kyle Fuller has strung 2 good days together (so far). Actually been impressed with him in coverage. An INT & strip today. #Bears
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) July 30, 2017
Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times added more detail on his day and how the Bears are encouraged by his progress.
“The Bears, who had only eight interceptions last season, had four in practice. The highlight was cornerback Kyle Fuller’s diving pick of a pass by Mark Sanchez along the right sideline.
Last week, general manager Ryan Pace said Fuller — who missed all last season after a seemingly simple arthroscopic knee surgery — was solid during organized team activities and had a ‘‘really good’’ offseason program.
‘‘For him, it was stringing together healthy practices,’’ Pace said.”
People forget that Fuller led the team in interceptions each of the two years he played in 2014 and 2015. His eye for the ball can’t be understated. Especially given how much the Bears have struggled getting interceptions lately. A resurgence from him along with the arrival of Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper might finally give that secondary some credibility.
Together with the ascension of Leonard Floyd in the pass rush, this defense might indeed be ready for prime time. It would be so fitting for Fuller himself. The poor guy has endured a lot in his short career. He’s one of the last holdouts of the disastrous Phil Emery era. It would be sweet if he were able to become a fixture for this team despite it all.
