Things did not go how the Chicago Bears planned. Nothing can speak to that more than the number one overall pick. So, who were the players that saw the biggest hits to their own personal reputation, while also impacting the team that they play for?
5. Chicago Bears got little out of Lucas Patrick
When the Chicago Bears signed Lucas Patrick, they talked about him as if they had a future starter at center for the coming years on their hands. Patrick played 10 snaps at center this season. Now, most of that can be excused because of injuries. His snapping hand had a broken finger, and he had to play guard for the majority of the season.
Once he settled into center, he suffered a season-ending injury. So, the Chicago Bears know about as much today as they did the day they signed him.
Actually, one thing they saw this year is that Patrick was a disappointment at guard. It could be that his hand was still limited even without the snapping issue. Still, Teven Jenkins was much better at right guard, and Patrick was a disaster on the left side.
Do the Bears trust him at center? Will they cut him? Is his contract cheap enough that they would not mind him as depth? These are questions that are far away from what we wanted to hear when he was signed, which is that the team has its center of the future.
They cannot say that for sure, and we cannot say we know at all what the status of Lucas Patrick will be, so that is a letdown.