Chicago Bears: Defense desperately needs Leonard Floyd to produce

If the Chicago Bears defense is going to be a top-10 unit in the 2018 season, pass rusher Leonard Floyd will need to have a big year.

Pass rush was a major area of need for the Chicago Bears heading into the 2018 NFL Draft, yet the team only walked away with one player who could help — sixth-round pick Kylie Fitts. It wasn’t a great draft for pass rushers, but the Bears did pass-up prospects like Harold Landry in the second-round (chose James Daniels 39th overall) and Josh Sweat in the fourth-round (chose Joel Iyiegbuniwe 115th overall).

Obviously, the Bears are counting big time on Leonard Floyd taking the next step and becoming an elite edge player. He’s missed 10 games in his first two seasons due to injuries, but when healthy, Floyd has flashed. His athleticism jumps-off the page, but his production on the field doesn’t always match.

Floyd has just 11.5 sacks in his career, including just 4.5 sacks last year in 10 games. That’s hardly the kind of production the Bears were hoping for when they selected him ninth-overall in the 2016 Draft.

Despite this, Floyd does have a lot of potential and could benefit from being reunited with his college teammate Roquan Smith. A healthy Aaron Lynch should also help, though he has just 2.5 sacks in his past 14 games. The Bears hope Lynch will be rejuvenated and perform the way he did in his first two years, ones in which saw Lynch accumulate a combined 12.5 sacks.

Floyd and Lynch figure to start, with veteran Sam Acho and rookie Kylie Fitts serving as depth options. Isaiah Irving and Howard Jones are intriguing young players, but they’ll both need strong training camps to make the opening day roster. After that, though, there’s nothing on the roster that offers much hope. Unless the Bears re-sign Lamarr Houston or Willie Young, the team will enter the 2018 season with a lot of question marks at outside linebacker.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will have to get creative to generate some pass rush if the outside linebackers don’t produce. Having Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman on the defensive line will help, as will having the speedy Roquan Smith to come on blitzes. The secondary should also be better, leaving the door open for some coverage sacks.

Next: NFL Draft 2018: Grades for each first-round pick

Besides health, Leonard Floyd is one of the biggest keys for the Bears defense in 2018. If he blossoms, the Bears defense should again be a top-ten unit. If Floyd struggles, however, the Bears defense could be searching for answers in the pass rushing department. Here’s hoping the third-year is the charm for Floyd.