Leonard Floyd is injured, again, and the other pass rusher Aaron Lynch, has seemingly been battling injuries since he’s come into the league…will the Chicago Bears make a move to alleviate this problem?
As we crawl to the start of the regular season, the Chicago Bears come in with a glaring hole at one of the most important positions in football.
While it is fully expected that Leonard Floyd will be able to play week one against the division rival Green Bay Packers, he will be doing so with the use of a clubbed hand. The other potential starter, Aaron Lynch was brought to Chicago due to his anticipated productivity with Vic Fangio, however, the common cold seems as though it can take down Lynch at any minute.
When you’re facing Aaron Rodgers in week one, and also have one of the best quarterback-driven divisions in all of football, creating pressure in the pocket is pivotal.
Will the Bears make a move to bolster this position as the season nears? Here are some potential pass rushing targets that could help out in 2018:
Junior Gallete- OLB, Washington Redskins
Trading for a guy with an injury history may be the last thing a Bears’ fan may want to hear, but Junior Gallete is a savvy veteran that comes with a lot of previous production and familiarity with a 3-4 defense.
Before the 2017 season, Galette missed the previous two season due to Achilles tears. While those are both injuries deemed difficult to come back from, Galette’s perseverance saw him return to action in 2017, while playing in all 16 games.
In those 16 games, Galette was far from dominant as he only recorded 20 combined tackles and three sacks. Not a game-changing talent last year, however, it was his first time seeing the green grass in two years and he did manage to play the full season.
The 30-year-old pass rusher was in line to become a very consistent threat in this league as he combined for 22 sacks in 2013 and 2014.
Galette may not ever get back to his 2013 days but don’t tell him that as he believes he’s a better player than earlier in his career. He believes that his experiences both on and off the field, paired with being fully healthy this year, will translate to a productive 2018 season.
Because Galette is on a one-year deal that’s paying him around $800,000, throwing a seventh-rounder to the Redskins may prove to be worth the investment at an inexpensive cost.