Chicago Bears Stay or Go: Kyle Fuller

Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller is going to be a free agent this offseason four years after being drafted. Should the Bears bring him back or not?

Kyle Fuller has had an up and down career in Chicago. He started out with a bang and played well for a rookie, but in his second season with the team, he struggled. Fuller’s third year was spent on the sidelines with a knee injury. His heart was questioned by several people, including coaches. Perhaps, as a result, the Bears decided not to pick up his fifth-year option.

His final year to prove himself was this season. And boy did he deliver. Statistically speaking, it was one of the strongest seasons for a Bears’ cornerback in a long time. Fuller registered 69 combined tackles with 61 of those being solo. He had two interceptions but what was most important was the 22 passes defended he had. That’s a very solid statistic. He was constantly tested by opposing quarterbacks and did not allow many passes to be completed.

Fuller passed almost every test that was given to him in 2017 and made himself a lot of money in the process.

Now, a decision must be made as to what to do with him. Should the Bears re-sign him, or should they let him go into free agency?

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Stay

There is no doubt that Chicago could use a talent like Fuller opposite whoever they decide to keep or get this offseason on the other side. Having stability at the cornerback position would go a long way towards helping make Chicago’s pass defense one of the best in the NFL. Fuller would be an important part of a growing defense that is just a few pieces away from being great.

He may cost the Bears a little bit of money, but it would be worth it. The Bears need someone like him at cornerback. Why try to find someone else when you have a player who is already familiar with your system, and you are familiar with that player?

Go

The money may be too much for the Bears because Fuller is going to command a lot of it. Chicago should have picked up his fifth-year option but, they didn’t know how he was going to perform. The Bears may decide to look elsewhere for help that might be less expensive.

Also, the shadow of the 2016 season may still hang a cloud over the decision makers like Ryan Pace and Vic Fangio. They may not want to relieve a season like that again. But who’s to say it’s going to happen?

Verdict

In the end, they should keep Fuller. He could be either the best or second best corner on the roster, and the Bears will have one spot locked down.