Winners and losers of the Chicago Bears 2022 season
By Evan Bruner
Chicago Bears Winner: Kindle Vildor, DB
Not many people were expecting a breakthrough season from Kindle Vildor. He had become of the defense’s punching bags and was one of the main reasons the Bears felt the need to pick Kyler Gordon with their first selection in the 2022 draft.
But the NFL never ceases to surprise. Vildor looked much improved, only allowing 26 receptions in 11 games. 21 tackles and one interception don’t tell the full story. On film, Vildor looked much more comfortable in both man and zone coverage and was seldom picked on in coverage the way he was in 2021. He was also solid in the run game, though the missed tackling did come back to hurt him.
Coming into this season, Vildor was fighting for his NFL life. He was a day three draft pick back in 2020, and his on-field performance had done little to change that perception. However, 2022 showed that Vildor, at the very least, is an NFL-caliber cornerback, which was not always the consensus amongst Bears fans.
There is no doubt that the Bears are going to make some major changes this offseason, and whether or not those changes pertain to Vildor, this season will go a long way in securing his status in this league.