The NFL comparisons for LSU Jamal Adams aren’t going to get much rosier than this.
Landon Collins was a starter from Week 1 as a rookie in 2015and has been a top-flight safety since. He’s played in all 32 games, made 184 tackles, intercepted six passes (including five in 2016), forced a fumble, and recovered another. Collins is dynamic in coverage and in-the-box against the run.
No matter where Adams goes, expectations will be high because of the SEC pedigree and a similar skill set to that of Collins. The only question that remains is whether or not the Bears will break the mold and make Adams the highest-drafted safety in the history of draft night.
But first, the rest of your Sunday Bullets …
Chicago Bears players suffered one injury after another in 2016, and it’s one of the reasons the team’s record did a tailspin into a 13-loss season. Injuries, coupled with a lack of depth across the board sunk the Bears last year, but the team is taking steps to change at least part of the equation. Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports the team is changing how it trains, a necessary step after an injury-plagued 2016. While there isn’t a way to prevent in-game injuries (such as the broken bones and ruptured tendons and ligaments that sidelined Kyle Long, Danny Trevathan, Kevin White, etc.), the Bears can attempt to curtail soft-tissue injuries and endurance issues in other ways. Consider it a small step toward progress.
Edge defender Leonard Floyd missed four games due to concussions in 2016, but still came up with seven sacks, and forced fumble that he recovered for a touchdown. The Bears are hoping 2016 was the beginning of Floyd’s ascent to greatness. ESPN Chicago’s Jeff Dickerson writes the Bears are expecting Floyd to take another big step in his second year in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme. Head coach John Fox compared the rookie wall of adjustments and the unavoidable learning curve to running two miles after being accustomed to training just for one. Floyd is still a work in progress as he’ll settle into Year 2 at his new full-time position, where he could use some technique tweaks here and there. But the combination of his raw skill and Fangio’s hands-on coaching should allow Floyd to grow in 2017.
Teaming Floyd with one of the best interior defenders in the draft would be one way to improve a front-seven that could use some help. John Breitenbach of Pro Football Focus counts down the 10 best prospects along the defensive line’s interior, and you’ll see a familiar name if you’ve been keeping a close eye on mock draft season.
Now, this just seems unfair.
Let’s talk about Dobbs, an interesting late-round candidate for any team (Bears?) with an eye on a developmental quarterback. He has prospect pedigree (he was a top-10 rated quarterback out of high school) and has experience as a starter in the SEC with 999 career passes under his belt. Accuracy and ball placement can be an issue at times, but Dobbs throws a beautiful deep ball, so it’s not as if he doesn’t have arm talent. Looking for the next Dak Prescott seems like it would be an exercise in futility — like trying to find the next Tom Brady. But if a team is looking to grow a quarterback in a low-pressure environment with an emphasis on development and refinement, Dobbs might be an avenue worth traveling down.
Pro Football Weekly has a list of eight potential “value picks” in this draft class. There is potential all over the board here with players that could interest the Bears (or any team, for that matter) in the defensive secondary, along the offensive line, at tight end, wide receiver, and quarterback.
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