The Chicago Bears pass rush vanished in Miami and people are freaking out over it. Truth be told there was a mixture of reasons for it. The Dolphins game plan was excellent. Their offensive line blocked really well and the oppressive heat played a huge part. Odds are this won’t be regular thing moving forward. However, one thing that hasn’t gotten better since the start of 2018 is the curious case of Leonard Floyd.
The former 1st round pick was expected to have a big year this season. He was entering his physical prime and had plenty of experience now. If he could stay healthy, he had a chance to be good. Then he broke his hand in the preseason, forcing him to wear a cast. This inevitably impacted his ability to properly shed blocked.
However, even as the cast has been reduced and he regains more use of the hand, the pass rush issues continue. Through five games Floyd has just four total pressures on the quarterback. His most notable plays to date have been against the run and in coverage. While that’s nice to see, it’s not where he’s going to earn his money. So what’s the problem?
Bears may want to consider shifting Leonard Floyd to opposite side
Coming into the NFL in 2016, Floyd had spent his time at outside linebacker at Georgia lined up all over the place. However, when it came to pass rushing situations he was always at left edge position, going against the opponent’s right tackle. That’s where the Bears put him when he got to the NFL and the majority of his sacks to date have come from that spot.
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However, the arrival of Khalil Mack changed things. Mack too primarily rushes from the left outside linebacker position. So the Bears had a choice to make. Shift one or the other to the right side. In the end, they made the call to move Floyd there, no doubt believing it best to keep Mack where he’d been great for years. However, it’s clearly done little for Floyd’s development.
Perhaps it may be time to reconsider that decision. Floyd clearly can’t rush effectively from the right side. Mack though can. He proved it multiple times in Oakland.
Sure there is a danger to lessening Mack’s impact but the Bears need to find a way to get more out of their edge rush position. Floyd is their best hope and making him comfortable back at the spot he knows could be the spark needed to get him back on track. The best thing this defense could hope for is two edge rushers that can get the QB. Miami showed that just one can’t always cut it.
