With the Chicago Bears’ training camp in Bourbonnais just around the corner, Grizzly Detail is taking a look at some of the new players donning jerseys this season, and in this edition we keep our attention focused on the secondary, with Ryan Mundy the subject today.
The Details:
After four largely uninspiring years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mundy really came into his own in 2013 with the New York Giants. He started 10 games and appeared in all 16 for the team, racking up 50 tackles, 27 assisted tackles, forced a fumble, and had an interception. He also picked up his first career sack for the G-Men.
In his best game of the season on October 6th against the Philadelphia Eagles, Mundy racked up 10 tackles and two stuffs, and despite the 36-21 loss his team suffered, he was the best player on the field for the team.
What the Bears Hope He Will Bring:
Last season, Major Wright and Chris Conte were burdened with a ton of challenges in the defensive backfield, and while they had moments of excellent play, they were largely unimpressive. As a result, the Bears dumped Wright in the offseason, and Conte is currently on the shelf with a shoulder injury. The front office also signed Mundy and M.D. Jennings to fill in at the safety position, and also drafted Brock Vereen to give its secondary a completely different look.
With that in mind, Mundy is arguably the guy in the best position to start. He has impressed so far in mini-camps for the Bears, and his play with the Giants last season will do more to build optimism in his chances of stepping in and making an impact immediately.
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Our Take:
Mundy is a guy that’s hard to get a read on, but from what we’ve seen, he should do nicely assuming everything goes according to plan. With an improved defensive line that should be able to contain the run better and get pressure on the quarterback, and with a linebacking core that will likely be healthier than it was last season, there will be less burden placed on the safeties.
When you add Mundy’s athleticism to the equation, you could potentially have a vastly improved defense, and he will definitely be a key part of that. If he ends up starting alongside Vereen, he will have quite a bit of work to do in terms of making sure that his compatriot is in the proper positioning, but he seems eager for the challenge, and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to being the main guy.
