Season of Change Possible for Bears on Special Teams
This promises to be a tumultuous year for Bears coverage units on special teams, and only part of it has to do with COVID-19.
Possible loss of players at times this season due to coronavirus was presented to special teams coordinator Chris Tabor by media as a potential risk, and he kind of shrugged it off for a fairly good reason.
"I think it’s–that's part of our world, to be honest with you," Tabor said. "With guys going down, and plugging a guy in, it can be uncomfortable. But I'm comfortable being uncomfortable. That is our world.
"But I think that, you know, the practice reps that we get and then grabbing guys before practice, grabbing guys after practice and logging them reps."
It's usually constant shuffling for special teams any NFL season when injuries happen, as reserve players move up to start and then other backups from must take their place on special teams.
This year promises for the Bears to be more serious because they've already lost one of their best special teams tacklers when linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski went to the Raiders in free agency. He tied for the team lead with eight special teams tackles last year, and was among the leaders the previous season.
They also lost Kevin Pierre-Louis this way and he was an effective special teams player.
There are other potential changeover problems and one goes right down to the core.
The undisputed Bears special teams leader since the end of the Lovie Smith coaching era in 2012 has been Sherrick McManis.
McManis has led or tied for the team lead in special teams tackles six of the last seven years. He tied Kwiatkoski last year and his roster spot this year is in real jeopardy. With Jordan Lucas, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Deon Bush, Tashaun Gipson and Kentrell Brice battling McManis for three or maybe four roster spots, it's possible McMannis might not be back.
McManis turns 33 during this season, and after missing the last five games with a groin injury there at least must be concern he'll even make the team.
Still, on special teams McManis and Cordarrelle Patterson in the gunner position proved very effective last season.
Brice had one season as one of the leading special teams tacklers with Green Bay, but it was quite a while ago in 2015.
Lucas hasn't really been statistically one of the Chiefs' better special teamers.
"He's a player that has speed," Tabor said. "He's played in a lot of different (special teams) spots. I saw obviously very aware of how Dave (Toub) played him and the systems overlap there. But he's a good football player. He played in a lot of critical positions. He just adds depth and ability into our room. I'm excited about having him, because he has flexibility and he's a good football player and you can't have enough of those guys. And he takes a lot of pride in it. So that's gonna be big for us."
They may have already addressed the loss on special teams of Kwiatkoski with the signing of Barkevious Mingo. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound outside linebacker has been a special teams mainstay whatever team he played for, and two years was 13th overall in the NFL with 12 special teams tackles. He played in Cleveland for Tabor for three years.
"The guy can run," Tabor said. "And he made a lot of plays for me. And if he didn't make the tackle, he was actually one of the lead reasons why somebody else made the tackle."
As it was, the Bears were just average in covering punts at a 7.06-yard average, 16th overall. They weren't very good stopping kick returns at 26th overall (25.0).
So perhaps new blood won't hurt.
"IF a guy has to play, it's our job to make sure he is ready to play," Tabor said. "So we'll do whatever we can to get them up to snuff."
Bears Special Teams Tackles Leaders
(Since 2015)
2019
8 tackles Nick Kwiatkoski
8 tackles Sherrick McManis
2018
7 tackles DeAndre Houston-Carson
2017
12 tackles Benny Cunningham
12 tackles Sherrick McManis
2016
13 tackles Sherrick McManis
2015
13 tackles Sherrick McManis
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