Leonard Floyd Return? Why Bears May Gamble On Former 1st-Round Disappointment

The Chicago Bears traded up for Leonard Floyd in the 2016 NFL draft. Then-general manager Ryan Pace felt his mixture of size, length, and athleticism was incredibly rare for a budding pass rusher. Things started well. He collected seven sacks as a rookie that year, flashing serious potential. Then things just kind of levelled off. Floyd managed just 11.5 sacks over the next three seasons. Chicago didn’t pick up his 5th-year option and allowed him to leave in free agency in 2020.

To his credit, Floyd didn’t let that derail him.