Five New Year’s resolutions the Chicago Bears must make for 2017

Get Floyd’s body NFL-ready

One of the bright spots in this dark season is the play of rookie linebacker Leonard Floyd.

Floyd was the Bears’ first-round draft pick. They moved up to move him, surprisingly giving up a fourth-round pick to draft him. Fans were surprised not only at the Bears moving up but also because of who they picked.

Floyd was a do-everything, play-everywhere player for the University of Georgia. He had a successful college career, but he carried a pretty slim body. Many felt that while he was a gifted athletic specimen, the NFL bodies would give him a beating.

Fast-forward to the end of the season, and it appears as if everyone was right about both his play and his body. Floyd leads rookies in sacks with seven. He also forced a fumble, defended two passes and even got a safety.

It is also clear that Floyd’s taken a beating. He had a calf injury that kept him out of two games. He also had TWO concussions. One was a scary-looking injury that was fortunate to be only a concussion, and another one last week against Washington.

Floyd has a bright future in the NFL, but only if his body can take the beating. In order to do that, he needs to bulk up. Yes, he can get around some of those big offensive linemen, but when those guys get their hands on him, they maul him.

Some may feel that gaining weight should be a great problem, but that isn’t the case. He cannot just bulk up any which way. He needs to gain weight while still being able to keep his athleticism. That athleticism is what has him in the NFL.

If he can stay upright, Floyd has a chance to be among the names of Chicago Bears legendary defensive players. If he can’t get the weight right, he will be one of those “what could have been” players.