Who is the best player on the Bears roster going into 2017? The question is actually more difficult to answer than one might think given how ravaged it was by injuries a year ago. There’s no doubt it’s a group with plenty of talent. The problem for the past three years it seems has been keeping them healthy. Thus judging who is the best isn’t crystal clear.
One could say it’s Kyle Long. He’s certainly the most proven player on the roster with three Pro Bowls under his belt. Then there’s Danny Trevathan and Pernell McPhee, two gifted linebackers who both have Super Bowl rings. Their position mate Jerrell Freeman led the team in tackles last year and made fair share of underrated big plays. Long’s fellow guard Josh Sitton went to the Pro Bowl last year and center Cody Whitehair was among the top rated centers in the league despite no experience at the position.
It turns out though that the NFL itself feels differently. According to NFL.com analyst Conor Orr, the best name on the roster is one of the most unexpected.
Best on the Bears roster is Jordan Howard
“I was tempted to list Pernell McPhee here, given how fun he was to watch in John Fox’s defense. However, Chicago is building a very good offensive line, and Jordan Howard, who finished second behind Ezekiel Elliott in rushing yards last year, will undoubtedly be the linchpin of this offense. While the Bears break in rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, Howard will be the player opposing defenses circle at the beginning of their game prep.”
How will he handle being the focal point on offense?
Jordan Howard was easily the most pleasant surprise of the 2016 season. Expectations for him were quite low going in. He was a fifth round draft pick out of Indiana perceived to be stuck as the third-string back on the depth chart. However, things began to change towards the end of the preseason.
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Back-to-back solid performances against New England and Cleveland got him noticed. Then when Jeremy Langford went down with injury. Instead of going with Ka’Deem Carey the coaches decided to give Howard a shot instead. He responded with the best rookie season by a Bears running back in history at 1,313 yards, besting the old mark held by Matt Forte.
Considering he was able to do that despite only starting 13 games? Hard not to be impressed. It certainly elevated expectations for 2017. People want to see if he can match that Pro Bowl campaign now that defenses will be gearing to stop him. It probably wouldn’t be smart to bet against him at this point.
