When you cover the Chicago Bears, their defense leaves you a lot to talk about. Although in 2016, they finished 14th overall, it was not as bad as it seemed. At times, this defense looked like a top five defense. However, their offense could not sustain and therefore they were on the field more than they needed to be. It also does not help when your leader goes down. That leader is Danny Trevathan.
The Denver Broncos drafted Danny Trevathan during the 2012 NFL Draft. He played four seasons with the Broncos, winning one Super Bowl. He would come over to the Bears as a free agent after winning that Super Bowl. Trevathan signed a 4-year, $24.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears in March of 2016.
The 2015 Bears struggled on defense. John Fox knew that he needed a leader. He coached Danny Trevathan while he was the head coach of the Denver Broncos. He targeted Trevathan when free agency opened. Fox got his man to lead his defense.
Things started out strong for the Bears and Trevathan in 2016. He was leading the defense just as Fox envisioned. Then in a week 12 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, Trevathan suffered a ruptured right patellar tendon. He was placed on IR ending his season. He had accumulated 66 tackles and one sack to that point.
2017 and the start of training camp are up in the air for Trevathan. If he can return from the injury and lead the Chicago Bears, they could have a formidable defense. However, the question will be on him returning. A ruptured patellar tendon is a very serious injury and takes quite some time to heal properly.
Danny Trevathan will lead the Bears defense once again. The question is when. When healthy, he is one of the best middle linebackers in the league. Bouncing back from an injury like this is always tough. Both psychologically and physically. If there is any one player who can do it, it is Danny Trevathan.
Editor’s Note: This article can also be seen in our upcoming NFL Preview Edition.