GM Ryan Poles has made it his mission not to spend big money on outside free agents if he can avoid it. That is why the Chicago Bears didn’t splurge more of their vast cap space a few months ago. However, there was one notable exception. The team handed linebacker Tremaine Edmunds a $72 million contract at $18 million per year. That makes him the fourth-highest-paid player at his position in the entire NFL. It seemed like a severe departure for Poles, spending big money on a non-premium position.
However, there are exceptions to every rule. The Bears GM hinted that Edmunds was such a unique physical specimen that he felt it was worth the money. The two-time Pro Bowler was a perfect fit for Matt Eberflus’ defense and is still only 24 years old. Playing middle linebacker in a Tampa-2 defense isn’t easy. It requires speed and cover ability. Edmunds proved in Buffalo that he had both. According to Adam Hoge of CHGO, the guy has wasted no time having a profound impact.
“Tremaine Edmunds is worth getting excited about. He looks like a defensive lineman with running back speed playing linebacker. It stands out every single practice and fans will get to see it for themselves when training camp starts.
Trust me, the impact on the players around Edmunds will be noticeable.”
Chicago Bears wanted a multiplier for their defense.
That is somebody who can improve everybody else on the field by their presence. Edmunds is that guy. Jaquan Brisker explained it during his press conference this past week. His range in coverage allows him to cover far more ground in the middle of the field. That means the safeties can stay deeper, using their eyes and instincts to watch the quarterback more often. That should lead to more opportunities for takeaways. It’s similar to what Brian Urlacher did during his run in Lovie Smith’s defense for so many years.
Edmunds may not be Urlacher as a leader, but his physical capability is on the same level. Making big plays is part of his responsibility, but his mere presence will allow others to do the same. Getting 11 guys on defense to play as one. That is the entire focus of this system. Everybody flies to the football. The Chicago Bears feel Edmunds is a critical piece to the puzzle. He’s already proving as much in early practices. It should be exciting to watch when training camp arrives in July.
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