Chicago Bears Midseason Awards
With the Bears at the midway point of the season, who has been the most valuable players on the team.
Most teams hand out awards after the season that the team votes on. With the Chicago Bears being at the halfway point of the season, and being on a bye week, it felt like a good time to go through who would win each award on this team.
Most Valuable Player: Akiem Hicks
This feels like a no-brainer, to be honest. Hicks is in line to be a potential All-Pro player across the league, so of course, he has to be the most valuable on the team. His seven sacks this season matched his 2016 season, which was a career high. He has set the tone for a defense that has won this team games and deserves the honor.
Offensive Player of the Year: Jordan Howard
When the offense absolutely relies on the ground game, and they have won three of their first eight games, Jordan Howard is the most valuable offensive player. No, Howard is not on the same rampant pace as a year before. However, he is still on pace to easily eclipse 1,000 yards, and he is the lifeblood of the offense. More than any other player, Howard could not be replaced at this point in this offense.
Defensive Player of the Year: Eddie Goldman
With Hicks getting the love for the best player on the team, we look deeper for the outstanding defensive performer. You could go a lot of ways with this one, but Goldman seems to be the least recognized, despite being arguably the most impactful. Goldman helps free up a lot of the space that Hicks has to be a penetrator and a player who wins in the backfield. Goldman holds down his front in the middle of the field and does not move, forcing offenses to work around him. He does get up the field at times as well and has been underrated as a run stuffer. Leonard Floyd among many others could go here, but Goldman gets the nod.
Rookie of the Year: Eddie Jackson
Like defensive player, there are many ways to go here. Tarik Cohen was the star in Week One but has fallen off. Mitchell Trubisky deserves some credit for being a starter this early on, but still, has not quite put on a coming out show. This leaves Jackson whose lows have been easy to manage, and his highs have been game-changing. Jackson has been consistent and has shown growth every game. At this point, he deserves the nod.
Assistant Coach of the Year: Ed Donatell
The play of the defensive backs has been the most pleasant this season. Kyle Fuller has jumped back, Jackson emerged as a rookie and Adrian Amos is playing great ball out of nowhere. Donatell has had the scheme ready, he just did not have the players to fit in. Amos was out of his role, they never had a rangy player like Jackson, and Fuller has been hurt. It has finally come together, and Donatell finally gets some credit.
Comeback Player of the Year: Kyle Fuller
After missing a full season, many have written off Fuller altogether. However, in a contract year, Fuller has come back and has played quite possibly his best football since being drafted. So far he has 39 tackles and eight pass breakups.