Bears: What Ha Ha Clinton-Dix on PUP could mean

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace announced today that newly-signed safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will likely begin the season on the PUP list.

The injury sustained happened during mandatory Chicago Bears mini-camp and has been diagnosed as a knee sprain. The team does not expect the injury to be a long-term battle, however it will likely keep the 26-year old out for a large chunk of training camp.

At first glance, this injury seems like a lot bigger of a deal than it actually is. Sure, it would be nice to have Ha Ha Clinton-Dix as a full participant through training camp, but if he is unable to do so it is not the end of the world. Two players who were not participants in 2018 training camp were among the best on the team in Roquan Smith and Khalil Mack. Not many would argue that Mack or Smith missed a beat in their first seasons in Chicago, and there is no reason to believe that Clinton-Dix would either.

Indeed, having Clinton-Dix at camp would be very beneficial in becoming comfortable in new defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano’s scheme and also in building chemistry with the other players on the defense. However, Clinton-Dix already has chemistry with former Alabama teammate and future Chicago teammate Eddie Jackson. In addition, Clinton-Dix will still be present at camp although he is on the PUP list. This means that he will still be in the locker room, on the sideline, and in film sessions.

He will still be able to bond with his teammates and learn new plays despite being sidelined with an injury. Sure, the situation is a bit similar to that of Mack and Smith, but neither of the before mentioned were even present at camp, thus missing out on the opportunity that Clinton-Dix will have this summer.

The injury itself does not appear to be a major deal, as stated by the team earlier today. This very well could be purely precautionary, as risking the team’s starting safety’s health for a few weeks of training camp is simply not smart. With that being said, there is no timetable for Clinton-Dix’s return, which could mean that he can participate in camp activities at some point.

A very realistic remedy for this situation is to sign an established safety as a stopgap for the possibility that Ha Ha’s knee injury is a nagging occurrence. Players such as Eric Berry and Tre Boston are still without teams and could be interested in joining a Chicago team in a position to possibly win a Super Bowl.

Not only would such an addition provide an insurance policy behind Clinton-Dix, but a veteran presence on a very young defense could be the difference between a deep playoff run and an early playoff exit. Of the two, Berry would be the more likely candidate, as he would be more reluctant to welcome a backup role on a contending team.

In short, Chicago fans should not lose too much sleep over the Clinton-Dix PUP situation. The most important thing for him and for the team is that he is healthy for the Week 1 matchup against Green Bay. Adjusting to a new team and defensive scheme will come with time, and for a talent like himself, this will not be an issue.