Chicago Bears: Handing out individual awards through Week 4

Surprise Performer of the Year: Outside Linebacker Aaron Lynch

Going into the regular season, and as roster cuts were in full force, some weren’t even sure Aaron Lynch would be making the 53-man team. He had hardly practiced throughout the summer due to multiple injuries, and fans were starting to wonder if he would end up being a wasted signing.

To my surprise, Lynch has come out and played very well in his rotational role. On 97 snaps this year, Lynch has generated a whopping seven pressures. By comparison, starting outside linebacker Leonard Floyd has only mustered up three pressures on 163 snaps.

He’s come up with four defensive stops (plays which the offense nets a loss of yardage) to Floyd’s two, and a pair of sacks compared to none for Floyd. He’s also notched an interception.

Now, I’m not saying Lynch is necessarily a better player than Floyd, but he’s sure making the case for more time on the field. If you ask our friends at PFF, he’s earned a higher grade than Floyd through four games.

I didn’t see Lynch making such a strong, immediate impact early on. But, it has helped tremendously. Lynch has given defensive coordinator Vic Fangio a luxury at the position by playing so well. He gives the Bears depth, which is something they didn’t have a couple of months ago.