It’s no secret the Chicago Bears defense is good. They proved it last year. However, people still have lingering concerns. Namely, it has to do with their pass rush. Outside of Leonard Floyd and Akiem Hicks, they are light on proven options. If this is the lineup they roll into the regular season with, the team has to hope they can find other ways to stop the wealth of talented quarterbacks they’re going to face. Maybe Bears training camp will offer ideas.
Thankfully a solution may already be present. If the pass rush isn’t adequate, then the pass coverage has to step up. The Bears secondary was stronger than expected in 2017, and it may be even better this year. Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara are back on new deals. Fuller is looking like a Pro Bowler in waiting. Amukamara clearly loves playing in the Vic Fangio system.
Bryce Callahan also returns to hold down his customary nickel position. Just having those three gives the Bears something to work with. Yet signs continue to grow that the team may be more well off on the depth chart than many realize.
Young cornerbacks are stepping up big at Bears training camp
It’s becoming apparent that the Bears coaching staff may have some hard decisions on the horizon when it comes to the cornerback situation. That’s because a number of their young bucks at the position have started to provide serious impact plays in practice. Not just once in a blue moon either. In considerable spurts.
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It started with undrafted free agent Kevin Toliver during the first few practices. The LSU alum picked off three passes across two practices, showcasing the reasons why many experts were shocked he wasn’t drafted. Head coach Matt Nagy himself acknowledged the young mans’ progress with a nickname.
Nagy: “Anytime anybody has a turnover, they always flash, right?”
Well, we might just have to nickname UDFA Kevin Toliver ‘The Flash’ then, he’s had 3 INTs in two days at #BearsCamp.
📰: https://t.co/44h8OwZfnS pic.twitter.com/cWaDi0OZHG— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 22, 2018
He’s not the only one though. Another undrafted free agent stepped up during Thursday’s practice according to Jeff Joniak of WBBM 780. His name is Michael Joseph out of Dubuque. A local product, he took the long road to the NFL and chose to chase his dream to play for the Bears.
He went undrafted, but 15 teams pestered him the entire draft weekend, including the Bears and secondary coach Ed Donatell. They signed him.
Today he intercepted two passes, and nearly a third with his college coaches in from Dubuque watching practice.
“They brought the good luck charm,” joked Joseph. “They may have to come a little more often.”
Joseph grew up a Bears fan, particularly fond of return great Devin Hester. He also loved Charles Tillman and Brian Urlacher, of course. His first Bears game was two years ago at Soldier Field on Christmas Eve with his father.
If Joseph and Toliver continue to flash like they have in the past couple weeks, the competition at for the bottom three slots at cornerback will be fierce. Fuller, Amukamara, and Callahan should be safe. That leaves them battling with Marcus Cooper, Cre’Von LeBlanc and Sherrick McManis for the remaining three. If nothing else, this should make the five preseason games to come a little more entertaining.
