Chicago Bears: 6 Free agent targets to pursue in 2020 offseason

Dante Fowler, Outside Linebacker

In the Chicago Bears’ end of the season press conference, Pace said that the team was happy with linebacker Leonard Floyd‘s play. Many people outside of Halas Hall feel the same.

Floyd is an athletically gifted player. He has a great combination of quickness and speed. In addition to rushing the passer, Floyd can also drop back in coverage and do a good job. He also provides good run-stopping ability.

Linebackers coach Ted Monachino recently spoke highly about Floyd’s play in Chicago, per NBC Sports Chicago:

"He wears a lot of hats throughout the game. He’s in coverage in base. He’s in coverage in sub. He’s a rusher in base. He’s a rusher in sub. He does it all for us. I do wish for him, and I think it would help all of us if he got some sacks, and we didn’t have to answer the same question once a month. But I do believe he’s playing at as high a level as any ‘Sam’ in our league."

The problem with Floyd, as even Monachino admits, is his pass rush. He had a promising 2016 rookie season when he had 7 sacks. In three seasons after that, though, he’s had just 11.5 sacks. Of his 18.5 career sacks, he has 7.5 against the hated Green Bay Packers but no more than 3 against every other team.

Floyd is not doing his partner on the other side, Khalil Mack, any favors. The Bears invested heavily for Mack’s services but while he did a good job in 2019, he wasn’t able to be his dominating self.

With Akiem Hicks missing most of the season due to injury, it was up to Floyd to cause some damage rushing the passer. Floyd was unable to get through to the quarterback facing one-on-one battles so Mack saw constant double and even triple teams. Despite that, Mack was atop the list of most quarterback pressures in the league.

Dante Fowler could be a perfect complement to Mack. He is also an athletic freak and could even be better in coverage than Floyd. In 2019, Fowler had 6 passes defended to Floyd’s one. For their careers, Fowler has 12 passes defended to Floyd’s 9. Fowler also has 27.5 career sacks, 11.5 in 2019.

Pace made a splash in 2018 by signing arguably the top wide receiver in free agency that year, Allen Robinson. He followed that up with the Mack trade and his contract extension.

If Pace looks to make a similar splash in 2020 Fowler would be a great signing on the defense, strengthening an already elite unit.