The Chicago Bears should bring back this Super Bowl champion
If the Chicago Bears want to build a winning culture, they should bring back a former Bear: Leonard Floyd. The versatile edge rusher started his career with the Chicago Bears after being drafted in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
The next season, the L.A. Rams went all in and put everything on the table, signing and trading for A- list stars like wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and edge rusher Von Miller for a chance at a Super Bowl. The Rams, known for being a contender who couldn't deliver, put it together and went 12-5 that season.
The Rams weren't done there. They ran the table and beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI, an exciting contest between two hungry teams. Floyd reeled in two sacks and 12 total tackles during the legendary playoff run.
The Rams endured a rough Super Bowl hangover. Facing salary cap issues, the Rams couldn't afford Floyd's contract anymore, so they cut him this offseason. Floyd is still a free agent.
Given the fact he's nabbed nine sacks or more over the past three seasons, it's fair to say Floyd is in his prime. In the right system, he's proven he can succeed.
Simply put, if the Bears want a veteran presence with a Super Bowl ring, Floyd is their guy. The Bears are a young team. Besides safety Eddie Jackson and the recently signed linebacker T.J. Edwards, the Bears lack a solid veteran presence on defense, especially in the absence of All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith.
The last time Floyd was on the Bears, the team was a major competitor for the NFC North title. During the 2018 season, the first of the inconsistent Matt Nagy era, Floyd was a starter on a defense loaded with talent. The 2018 Bears were the No. 1 ranked defense in the league and carried the Bears to the playoffs. If it wasn't for the "double doink," who knows how far this team could've gone...
In a wide-open NFC North, the Bears should give Floyd a second chance and get things rolling with a former champion on the defensive line.
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Leonard Floyd has also been linked to the Seattle Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles.