Leonard Floyd is finally ready for a breakout season
Playing with Khalil Mack did not magically jumpstart Leonard Floyd’s statistical art, as the Chicago Bears edge rusher compiled a career-low four sacks last season.
The main issue for Floyd has been wellbeing. While he did not miss a match, he dealt with a hand injury that hindered his production. Once healthy, the former first-round select flashed the ability to take advantage of one-on-one blockers. The aim heading into 2019 would be for Floyd to finally be a more consistent force off the edge.
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New outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino believes Floyd”could be unique” as he works on greater counters to turn stresses into sacks.
“As he gets better at one or two things, his numbers will go up,” Monachino said, through the Chicago Tribune.” (What) could happen first are the powerful rushes, right? The quarterback may be affected by him. He can influence the launching stage. A guy might move . However, the more of the ones that come together, the more productive rushes he’s going to have. The more he’s going to get home and complete. Right now we are focused on just a couple of things with Leonard. And it’s not because he can’t manage more. It is because we want to build his toolbox in a way that,’This is my go-to, and this is the counter off of it'”
Floyd believes he is making strides following two consecutive seasons with over five sacks. He created just 35 pressures last year, per Pro Football Focus, ranking 47th among edge defenders. Floyd believes those amounts can skyrocket now that he finally has a complete, healthful offseason to work on his strategy.
“Being violent and only going out with a mindset of getting to the quarterback,” Floyd said. “I must sharpen my own tools. It’s been quite different because I have been able to train and do each of the items with no constraints this spring.
“I believe I was playing my best football during the second half of last year after I really got over my hand injury. I felt as though I was playing much better and I am excited about this year and only building from that.”
The game picture disagrees with Floyd, because he flashed down the stretch last season, including a postseason sack. Now the Bears want their former first-round pick to eventually break out and interrupt the QB for an whole year.
“If you place him in a telephone booth against a big offensive speech, yes, strength and power is a issue,” Monachino said. “But his length and his explosiveness in a short space, they negate all of that other disadvantage. As a power rusher at the top of the pocket, I don’t think he is going to get any problem. There are a couple things I think in training pass rushers. Pass rush is all about violence and effort. That’s what it is about. It is all about how we end at the top of the pocket. Because men do not run around other players in this league. Players are too good. So we’ve got to get him very good at how exactly is he going to clear? And how is he going to finish?”
In case Floyd becomes a force opposite Mack, the Bears are a menace to QBs. This offseason, Chicago picked up Floyd’s fifth-year option for 2020, worth $13.22 million. They will gladly pay that price if the edge rusher breaks out in 2019.