Last year, the Chicago Bears made six waiver claims after final roster cuts went through. It had some positive results, with guys like Josh Blackwell and Sterling Weatherford becoming major special teams contributors. This time around, GM Ryan Poles was more measured. He only claimed two players, feeling the roster depth is far stronger this time around. The first was former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Khalid Kareem. Head coach Matt Eberflus likes his run-stopping ability and his high motor. The other was former Los Angeles Rams safety Quindell Johnson.
He was an undrafted free agent out of Memphis. The Bears did need depth at safety, but from what Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports, they were genuinely surprised when the Rams waived him. It seems Johnson had been on their radar long before his strong showing in the preseason.
“Kareem looks like a rotational guy once he gets up and running in the scheme, and in a perfect world (in which Dominique Robinson is improving), Kareem is probably not logging more than 30% of the snaps. Taylor, 29, probably will have the greatest impact this season — provided Feeney doesn’t have to play a lot — but I’m curious about Johnson. I’ll go out on a limb and say long term he will make the greatest impact. He’s a physical safety who is going to be a backup to start but he made 10 interceptions at Memphis, and the Bears had hoped to land him as an undrafted free agent. When the Rams waived him, they pounced. He was a playmaker on special teams in college with multiple blocks and should find a role for Hightower immediately.”
It remains a mystery why Johnson wasn’t drafted.
His productivity in college certainly justified it. He had 15.5 tackles for a loss, 10 interceptions, and four forced fumbles. So he’s a ballhawk. His 320 tackles also prove he isn’t afraid of contact. Johnson is 6’1 and 195 lbs with 4.5 speed. Size and athleticism aren’t the problems, either. One thing is clear. Plenty of people, including Rams fans, think the Bears got a good one.
Quindell Johnson is exactly what the Bears want.
Their Tampa-2 system demands versatile safeties. They must be able to force turnovers while also being a presence around the line of scrimmage. Jaquan Brisker is a perfect example. Johnson is built in the same way. The primary concern with his is a somewhat inconsistent ability to handle going backward in coverage. He can be stiff in his backpedal and tends to panic at times. Thankfully, this defense is built to keep the safeties deep where everything is in front of them. When he’s allowed to play downhill, Johnson can be lethal.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
He already has an avenue to improve his status in the organization through special teams. He had two tackles in the third phase during the preseason. That reputation started at Memphis, where he was a regular presence on punt and kickoff units. Quindell Johnson has all the necessary tools to be a factor for the Bears in the near future. It isn’t a surprise they targeted him months ago. The surprise is how he doesn’t get more respect. Whatever the reasoning, Chicago seems to have finally gotten their guy.
