Jaylon Smith. 6. player. 57. <p>The Chicago Bears have struggled for the past couple seasons to stay consistent on both the offense and defensive side of the ball. With questions at quarterback entering the season, many expected Jay Cutler to be run out of town at this point. While he has struggled at times, it appears for now he’s staying in Chi-town. The team has the weapons who (if healthy) can carry the offense. First-round pick Kevin White has spent the entire season nursing a knee injury and has yet to see any NFL action. Eddie Royal and Alshon Jeffery have also missed time with injury, so I’ll give Cutler a break for now.</p>
<p>Defensively they just don’t have talented enough pieces to win. They’re 27th against the run in terms of yardage and have only managed 31 sacks, a mark that is in the bottom third of the league. Being able to rush the passer and shut down running backs has been a problem for Chicago for a while and this is their opportunity to fix that.</p>
<p>Chicago gets Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith to fix both of these issues. Whether they want him to rush the passer or defend the run, Smith is versatile enough to fill either role. It’s a great fit for John Fox and this starving Chicago defense.</p>
<p>Previous Pick: Jaylon Smith, OLB</p>. Outside Linebacker. Notre Dame