Chicago Bears Stay or Go: Christian Jones
Should the Chicago Bears extend Christian Jones, or let him walk?
Christian Jones has had an interesting four-year run with the Chicago Bears. Should the team try to bring him back for more, or should they let him go?
Stay
You can say what you want about his ceiling, and his ability to call plays. The fact of the matter is that when the Bears have needed somebody to play linebacker, Christian Jones has been there. He was there as a rookie. He was there when they tried to replace him. Last season he wound up with 11 starts. He was never a dominant performer, but to say that he was not needed would be unfair. With the return of Vic Fangio it is clear that this team will be looking to grow together. However, with Jerrell Freeman likely gone, Danny Trevathan frequently injured, and just Nick Kwiatkoski as depth, why would the team leave Jones? And for Jones, this a defense he knows and a role he is used to. Why would he want to try to mess that up?
Go
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The fact of the matter is that the team tried to replace him a couple of years ago. Vic Fangio analyzed the time and wanted to add Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman. There is no upside to keeping him around, and Fangio probably knows that. Jones starting 11 games could play against the Bears on the negotiating table. If one team sees him as a starter, and is willing to shell out low end starter money, would the Bears really entertain a counter? They gave Kwiatkoski a couple of chances to close out the season and he played fine. They can address the position in other ways and find upgrades from a Christian Jones at a cheaper price. If he is given a chance to start somewhere else, he can go.