Chicago Bears: 5 Cornerbacks to target in 2018 NFL Free Agency

Kyle Fuller (2017: 68 Tackles, 22 Passes Defended, 2 Interceptions)

This is the biggest decisions the Chicago Bears need to make on their own players this offseason. Kyle Fuller had a tremendous 2017 season. He had a career-high in tackles and passes defended. That passes defended number (22) is incredible.

While not downplaying Fuller’s season, was it enough for him to land a lucrative deal? Yes, he had a great season, but does that erase all the up-and-downs he had in Chicago during the previous three seasons?

Fuller burst onto the scene with three interceptions and 19 tackles. It appeared that the Bears had a star in the making. After that, however, he fell a bit. He had just one interception the rest of the season. In fact, he actually found himself fighting for a starter’s spot. After those four interceptions in his rookie season, Fuller went on to record four interceptions in the next two seasons.

In 2016, Fuller found himself in hot water. He went in for a simple knee scope and was due to miss a couple of weeks. Well, it turned out he missed the entire season, even when the medical staff cleared him. Fans and coaches alike criticized him for that.

If the Bears decide to sign Fuller, which one do they get — the mediocre one of the past four seasons or the great one from 2017. Remember, he was playing for a contract in 2017. What’s to say he won’t relax again with a nice deal? Of course, it could just be a matter of maturity. He’s about to hit his prime so his 2017 could just be the beginning of a good run for him.

The Bars could decide to kick the can on a long-term deal down the line and franchise Fuller. The tag can be expensive, though. It could be over $15 million for a season. That’s a pretty penny if you aren’t sure how good Fuller could be.

Next: 2018 Bears free agency preview and predictions

The decision the Bears make on Kyle Fuller goes a long way to what they’ll do with the position in free agency. Regardless of the decision, they’ll draft a corner as well. It’s the veterans they have on the team that will determine how well the cornerbacks perform in 2018.