Chicago Bears: 5 offseason needs in 2019
By Jon Dove
Punter
Pat O’Donnell has been the Bears’ punter for the past several years. However, the teams has been open to replacing him. They brought in some training camp competition last year. However, O’Donnell was able to win the job.
He’s now a free agent and the Bears will likely take a peek at what’s available on the open market. Some of the names available are Donnie Jones, Ryan Allen and Jordan Berry.
It seems likely that Chicago may stick with the known commodity in O’Donnell. He has been a solid performer for the Bears and there really isn’t a clear upgrade. The key will be how much money O’Donnell wants. Chicago’s salary cap situation is tight and they may need to address other, bigger needs.
However, it’s important not to over look the how much of an impact a punter can have on a team like this. Chicago’s defensive play makes field position key. They are a team that is a threat to score defensive touchdowns, which is made easier when the opponent is pinned deep in their zone.
The Bears also have a young quarterback, Mitch Trubisky, who is still developing. A good punter can bail out a passer when he fails to move the chains. It’ll be interesting to see how the Bears address this need, especially when considering their need for a new place kicker.