The news came down. While it wasn’t as bad as feared, the fact remains Chicago’s biggest weakness just got a little bigger. Top pass rusher Leonard Floyd exited the preseason game in Denver with an apparent hand injury. It has since been revealed he broke two fingers and was forced to have surgery to repair them. He’ll likely wear a cast this season. This puts his effectiveness in question and also increases the likelihood of Bears waiver wire targets being heavy in the edge rusher department.
That means GM Ryan Pace and his staff will have eyes on a lot of potential cuts from other teams who might be able to take advantage of an opportunity here. It’s a matter of finding the right names that fit what they do. While there’s no guarantee with any of them, here are some names that have stood out this preseason. Players who may get released due to various circumstances, but not necessarily their talent.
Jeff Holland (OLB, Denver Broncos)
The Bears will have gotten an extended look at the undrafted rookie this past week in joint practices and the preseason game against Denver. He may not be the body beautiful type but there’s no question the Auburn product knows how to generate pressure on the quarterback.
With the Broncos defense already stacked with pass rushers like Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Shane Ray and Shaq Barrett it’s possible they may try to slip him onto the practice squad.
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Reggie Gilbert (OLB, Green Bay Packers)
The Packers are undergoing a bit of a transition on defense under new coordinator Mike Pettine. So it’s difficult to determine who’s safe and who isn’t. Clay Matthews, Nick Perry and former 3rd rounder Kyler Fackrell are likely locks. The same goes for Vince Biegel, a 4th round pick in 2017.
After that, it’s a complete tossup. One name that has surged of late is Reggie Gilbert. He only played two games last year but had a sack in one. Now through two preseason games he has 2.5. The Packers haven’t given him much of a shot lately, but the Bears may be wise to. He’s clearly figured something out.
Trent Harris (DE, New England Patriots)
The Patriots are notorious for trying to slip quality young defenders onto their practice squad for later development. It’s had lots of success in the past. Chicago already took advantage of that when they claimed Cre’Von LeBlanc off waivers two years ago from them.
They may want to prepare another strike with Trent Harris. Though undersized for an edge rusher, he has the violent hands and up-the-field burst needed to make quarterbacks uncomfortable. He may not be a starter, but he looks like an ideal situational pass rusher.
#Colts OLB John Simon (@johnesimon51; #Buckeyes) keeps it simple. Violent hands & leverage for the sack! #AZvsIND pic.twitter.com/x8ECwLdXae
— DLineVids (@DLineVids) September 17, 2017
John Simon (DE, Indianapolis Colts)
He left Houston for a chance to start with a new team. Simon landed in Indianapolis and was arguably their best overall defender in 2017. Unfortunately, the team lost a lot and have changed defensive systems as a result. They’re switching to a 4-3 scheme, which doesn’t bode well for him given his limited size.
Simon is much more suited for playing 3-4 outside linebacker as he’s done his entire career. His sack totals are never out of this world but he gets more pressure than people think and he’s a smart player who can create issues all over the field.
Jayrone Elliott (DE, New Orleans Saints)
The New Orleans Saints supplemented their pass rush this offseason by trading up in the first round for Marcus Davenport. Together with Cameron Jordan and Hau’oli Kikaha, they have an intriguing rotation on the edge. This leaves the status of Jayrone Elliott up in the air.
The former Packer never got much action in Green Bay and only appeared in one game after being traded to Dallas. This preseason he’s really off to a strong start, notching 2.5 sacks in his first game. He’s always had intriguing skills but hasn’t found the right opportunity. If the Saints cut him loose, the Bears could be there to offer it.
#Saints Jayrone Elliott (@Jay_Elliott15) dips, bends the corner & finishes on the QB's arm for a strip-sack. Great awareness from the vet! pic.twitter.com/p5vykHJsPU
— DLineVids (@DLineVids) August 10, 2018
Shilique Calhoun (DE, Oakland Raiders)
Hopes were high for Shilique Calhoun coming out of college. He’d established himself as one of the more consistent pass rushers at Michigan State, collecting 18.5 sacks in his final two years at the program. The size (6’4) and length (34-inch arms) are there, something Vic Fangio tends to covet at that position.
Yet for whatever reason the former 3rd round pick has struggled, getting just one sack in his first two years. Is he really that bad or was he getting poor coaching? Recent preseason indications hint it may have been the latter as he’s generating pressure far more often than before. It may be too late to save his roster spot but is definitely worth exploring.
