The Chicago Bears have waited patiently on Leonard Floyd. They have high expectations for him. It’s why they traded up to #9 in the 2016 NFL draft to get him. His size, length, and athleticism are freakish in their combination. However, they knew from a pass rush perspective that they were getting somebody who was a bit of a project.
Floyd only spent part of his time at Georgia rushing the passer. He was moved from the edge to inside linebacker and back again frequently. The team never really made a strong effort to turn him into a full-time edge guy. That’s why his sack numbers were low and why he’s shown a good degree of inconsistency thus far in Chicago.
Granted a lot of his progress has slowed due to injuries. He suffered two concussions as a rookie in 2016, limiting him to 12 games. Last year a collision with teammate Kyle Fuller led to him tearing up his knee after 10 and missing the rest of the season. Amidst all that it still looks like something is missing with him. But what?
Leonard Floyd hasn’t figured out the power element of pass rushing
One of the hardest things to learn as a pass rusher is to do the things you might not be best at. If you’re a guy known for his brute strength, you tend to rely on that. Winning with technique and finesse is foreign to you. For Floyd? It’s the opposite. He’s such a great athlete and so fast that he’s become reliant on those traits when rushing the passer. Time and again it shows that he still hasn’t developed a true power rush in his arsenal.
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Look back over the majority of his notable games and the sacks he produced. They come in one of two categories. Either he beat the tackle with a swift inside or outside move or he came free off a stunt.
This is fine, but sooner or later the better tackles in the league will get wise to it. They’ll know that Floyd prefers to win that way and will prepare for it. They won’t trust that he can beat them with a power move. Why? He hasn’t shown he can do so. In fact, Dan Pompei of The Athletic talked to a number of NFL scouts about the Bears outside linebacker. Two of them actually referenced this weakness directly about Floyd.
Scout A: …”Floyd can rush the passer, but he has to get a little stronger.”
Scout B: …”Floyd has shown flashes of being really, really good if he can stay healthy. He still needs to develop his arsenal.”
Scout C: …”Floyd is still too much finesse. He has to add that physicality to his game. He tries to win with athleticism too much. That’s what has held him back.”
When three different guys in the know, along with the tape, say that? It’s hard to argue. Well, that fatal flaw could be about to change courtesy of a blockbuster move by his team.
Khalil Mack has long since mastered the bull rush
Ironically enough, newest Bears addition Khalil Mack came into the NFL with the opposite problem. He was known mostly for his raw power, able to deliver some savage bull rushes but hadn’t yet figured out how to win with speed. It took an adjustment period for him, but once he figured it out? He became arguably the best pass rusher in football.
Few have mastered the bull rush quite like him. This knowledge can prove invaluable to the Bears. The now have somebody who is a leader and will do whatever it takes to win. He’s a tone-setter. Floyd will be able to pick his brain in every practice and on the sideline during games. Constantly absorbing that information over time.
If he’s able to put it to proper use and becomes a more complete player as a result? This Bears pass rush will be frightening.
