Chicago Bears: Top players affected by Ted Ginn Jr., Tashaun Gipson
By Ryan Heckman
The Chicago Bears made two key signings this week in Ted Ginn Jr. and Tashaun Gipson. But, what does that mean for a few other notable players?
The next wave of free agency has begun for the Chicago Bears, now that the 2020 NFL Draft is over. Chicago came away with seven selections in total, drafting in the second, fifth and seventh rounds, and now they continue to round out their roster.
On Thursday, general manager Ryan Pace signed a pair of veterans to fill key areas of need on this team. He brought in former New Orleans Saints wideout Ted Ginn Jr. along with safety Tashaun Gipson, who spent last year with the Houston Texans.
Ginn comes to the Bears knowing one thing and one thing only: Speed. He’s been one of the faster guys in the NFL for quite some time, and I think most people understand the value he brings to the Bears. More speed on offense was a huge need, and now the Bears have it in Ginn.
Gipson, meanwhile, has had a fairly underrated career. First off, he can play either safety spots, which will allow for Eddie Jackson to stay put at free safety. Second, Gipson knows what it’s like to play with an elite defense. He was a starting safety for that vaunted Jacksonville Jaguars defense back when they made an AFC Championship appearance in January of 2018.
To give you an idea of how effective Gipson was last year with Houston, he only allowed opposing quarterbacks a QBR of around 55.0. He also defended eight passes and came up with three picks. Throughout his career, Gipson has also been a healthy player for the most part. Dating back to his rookie year in 2012, Gipson has played in double-digit games every season, playing a full 16 games four times.
Both Ginn and Gipson will offer the Bears plenty of experience and talent in two areas the team needed more depth at, and even more so, a starter or two. Their presence will also immediately affect a couple of key players on the Bears. Let’s look at those players and how they will be affected.