Chicago Bears: Bryce Callahan is vital to defensive success
By David Mamola
Nickel cornerback Bryce Callahan needs to have a big 2018 season if the Chicago Bears defense is going to be a top-10 unit.
The Chicago Bears brought the band back together in the secondary this offseason, re-signing cornerbacks Kyle Fuller, Prince Amukamara, and Bryce Callahan. Fuller and Amukamara are the two starters and will be tasked with defending the opponent’s boundary wide receivers. It’s Callahan who will handle the slot receiver, and with three-wide receiver sets so prominent now in the NFL, his role is critical to the defense’s success.
Teams are in their traditional base defenses less and less. Having five — if not six — defensive backs on the field is now commonplace. Callahan served as the Bears slot corner last season, and despite playing only 12 games, the fourth-year corner played a career-high 512 snaps. Nowadays, a nickel cornerback is a starter, so it’s vital that Callahan has a big 2018 season.
He was a restricted free agent this offseason and re-signed with the Bears on a one-year, $1.9 million contract. Callahan has been a very consistent defender when on the field, but unfortunately, his health has not been. In the past two seasons, Callahan has missed nine games due to injuries and has left a couple of more early. The Bears have struggled to replace Callahan, as they don’t really have another proven option to play in the slot.
Callahan is going to play a vital role in determining how much success the Bears defense has this season. Just think of some of the electrifying slot receivers the Bears have to face this season: Randall Cobb, Golden Tate, Julian Edelman, and Cooper Kupp, just to name a few. That’s not to mention wide receivers such as Larry Fitzgerald, Adam Thielen, and Doug Baldwin who frequently line-up in the slot as well as out-wide.
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If healthy, Callahan is a good bet to play at least 600 snaps this season. Fuller and Amukamara get the bulk of the attention, but Callahan is just as important to this defense as well. Remember, in today’s NFL, Callahan is basically a starter for the Bears; now he has to play like one consistently.