Chicago Bears: Tarik Cohen gives offense missing element

Rookie running back Tarik Cohen could give the Chicago Bears the kind of versatile, dynamic playmaker they’ve been longing for.

Many fans and experts saw Ryan Pace’s 2017 NFL Draft as an attempt to turn the Chicago Bears into the New Orleans Saints of the NFC North. With his first two picks, he got his cerebral, accurate franchise-quarterback (Mitch Trubisky) and hulking Jimmy Graham-esque tight end (Adam Shaheen). But with his fourth-round selection of versatile, yet dynamic running back Tarik Cohen, Pace grabbed a playmaker that could truly broaden the horizons of the Bears offense.

“The Next Darren Sproles”?

For Pace, almost everything about Cohen must have been screaming “Darren Sproles clone”. Both players are listed at 5’6”, though Sproles has always been a little thicker than Cohen. On the field, both rely on speed and quickness rather than brute force with the ball in their hands. Also, Pace thinks Cohen could have a similar impact on the passing game to Sproles.

Still, why gamble on Cohen when running back isn’t a strong position of need for the Bears? A deeper look at the position may tell why Pace felt Cohen could be useful. Though Jordan Howard ended 2016 as the league’s second-leading rusher, he’ll likely never be a major threat out of the backfield. He excelled as a one-cut, authoritative hammer with surprising speed, but he struggled with drops last year. Jeremy Langford, while capable as a runner and pass-catcher, generally failed to make an impact last year. And Ka’Deem Carey and Benny Cunningham aren’t explosive enough to regularly produce big plays.

Just “turn on the tape”, and you’ll see a back unlike any the Bears have on their roster, particularly from a speed aspect. He posted a 4.42 40 at the NFL Combine, which absolutely makes him a candidate to go the distance every play. Apparently, he made sure to get Bears coaches and teammates acquainted with it during Sunday’s minicamp session. Plus, he has ankles of steel, allowing him to stop on a dime and leave tacklers clutching at air.

Also, despite being only 5’6″, he has 10 1/8″ hands, which actually are the same size as Bears center Cody Whitehair. With them, he easily catches the ball out of the backfield on both screens and passing routes.

Cohen and the “Joker” role

Of course, there are legitimate concerns about Cohen as a player and how he’ll transition to the NFL. He acknowledged himself during rookie camp, noting that the speed of NFL defenses won’t allow him to run rampant as he did in college. And yet, his play can be incredibly impactful without him scoring every play. When speaking about Cohen, John Fox referenced the Bears’ third-down issues last year as a way he could contribute. Via ESPN Chicago’s Jeff Dickerson:

"“Well, he’s a joker back,” Fox said. “I think third down, it’s just another matchup, this game’s about matchups. We weren’t nearly as successful as we needed to be on third down a year ago, so people call it a joker back. It’s got a lot of different names, but you see similar roles around the league that we really haven’t had.”"

In this case, “joker” isn’t some code for “gadget player” or trick play artist. The Bears want him to be a matchup nightmare, such as isolating him as a pass-catching target. Want a glimpse?

That, right there, is a weapon. And the Bears would be wise to utilize him as such. Use him to expose zone coverage out of the slot or to punish teams for putting a linebacker on him. Use him on screens or potentially as a decoy on jet sweeps. Basically, use him like you would one of Cohen’s other favorite players: Tyreek Hill. Get him the ball in space, and he can potentially do damage like no Bears’ back—maybe even Howard—can.

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That’s what Ryan Pace wants to from Cohen, both hopefully this year and certainly in the future. With any luck, his emergence for the Chicago Bears comes in short order.