Chicago Bears: 5 Bold predictions vs. Packers, Week 1
5. Leonard Floyd takes first step towards breaking out
The Chicago Bears and their fans have waited for Leonard Floyd to live up to the lofty expectations they had of the ninth overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft. He showed some of the incredible athleticism in his three seasons but hasn’t been consistent.
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After recording seven sacks in his rookie season, Floyd had only 8.5 in his next two seasons combined. Injuries played a big part of that. He missed 10 games in his three seasons in Chicago. Even though he played in all 16 games in 2018, he spent half the season with a cast covering his fractured right hand. That slowed him down a bit in his pass rush, though he was still excellent against the rush.
This offseason, Floyd hasn’t dealt with any injuries. He just worked on perfecting his pass-rushing moves. He had 11 quarterback hits last season so he’s getting there just a little late. Getting better with his moves helps him get to the backfield quicker. Playing on the opposite side of Khalil Mack, Floyd should see a lot of one-on-one action and his athleticism and moves should help him get to the quarterback more.
Having Chuck Pagano as defensive coordinator also helps him. Pagano is a more aggressive coach than previous defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Fangio had Floyd drop back in coverage too many times for most fans’ liking. Floyd came to Chicago tagged as a very good pass rusher so he should be able to use his gifts as much as possible. That should happen with Pagano.
While some feel that Floyd’s been a disappointment, he does play well against the Packers. In his six career games against Green Bay, he has 18 tackles (5 tackles for loss), 8 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery (returned for a touchdown). Oh, and 35 percent of his career sacks came against the Packers (5.5 of his 15.5 sacks).
Prediction: 6 tackles (3 for loss), 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble