Chicago Bears: Leonard Floyd now odd man out
By Usayd Koshul
As the Chicago Bears begin the process of signing their homegrown talent, former first-round pick Leonard Floyd is suddenly the odd man out.
With the announcement that the Chicago Bears signed safety Eddie Jackson to a big extension, it’s clear that the Bears have made rewarding the talent that they’ve drafted over the last few years as a major priority. While any good NFL franchise makes it a priority to do so, the Bears opting to extend Jackson days after his third season ends is significant because he’s originally a fourth-round pick who’s become one of the best safeties in football.
However, with Jackson’s extension, the odd man out now seems to be 2016 first-round pick, Leonard Floyd. Last offseason, the Bears picked up Floyd’s fifth-year option guaranteeing that he’ll be in Chicago until at least the end of the 2020 season. However, for someone who was a top ten pick, it’s widely known that Floyd has not lived up to those expectations.
While the Bears could always bring Floyd back, it’s also worth noting that over the next three offseasons, the Bears will need to extend players like Allen Robinson, Roquan Smith, Anthony Miller, James Daniels, and whoever the Bears quarterback of the future will be.
With so many extensions to hand out, the Bears will only have so much money. While there is truth to the fact that the NFL’s salary cap is fluid and that there are multiple ways to get around it, the Bears also need to be smart with their money.
In the past, the general manager Ryan Pace has shown that he’s smart when it comes to structuring contracts. He ensures that players are paid what they’re worth but then also allows for the Bears to get out of any contract with ease in case a player fails to live up to expectations.
Even right now, the Bears could cut Floyd and save nearly $13 million dollars. For someone who’s a top ten pick, Floyd really is a guy who the Bears brass is high simply because they view him as being someone who may not stuff the stat sheet but still figures out a way to make an impact.
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Overall, the Bears will have some decisions to make not only this offseason but over the next few years as well. The market for outside linebackers seems to increase every single year and the Bears might have to make a decision between Floyd and other players. Time will tell however, Floyd surely seems to be the odd man out.