Chicago Bears News: Desmond Trufant replaces Kyle Fuller on defenseon March 19, 2021 at 9:13 pm

While the Bears have not officially released Fuller yet, word is that the team is attempting a last-minute trade of the cornerback to prevent him from signing with division rival, the Green Bay Packers. One thing is clear, Fuller is not returning to the Bears in 2021.

With Fuller not in the picture for the Bears’ secondary in 2021, it was clear that the team had a significant hole at the cornerback position. While Jaylon Johnson showed flashes of being a shutdown cornerback during his rookie campaign, it is important to remember that he has been dealing with consistent shoulder injuries since his college days. Beyond Johnson, the Bears cornerback depth was bleak at best considering the release of Buster Skrine.

The Bears’ signing of Trufant provides the Bears with much needed depth at the cornerback position. Not only that but Trufant now will become the cornerback to replace Fuller in the Bears’ defense.

While Trufant has proven to be a dependable cornerback during his time with the Atlanta Falcons, since joining the Detroit Lions, the issue of health has surrounded him the past two seasons. Between the past two seasons, Trufant has only played 15 games with a majority of those games being in the 2019 season. It is worth noting that Trufant compiled 4 interceptions with the Lions during the 2019 season while opposing quarterbacks had a 65.8 completion percentage when throwing his way.

Trufant is no Kyle Fuller. That much is clear. But what Trufant does provide the Bears with is much needed depth. Without the signing of Trufant, it would have been pretty evident that the Bears would target the cornerback position in the early rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft. With Trufant now in the fold, the Bears can afford to address more pressing needs in the early rounds of the draft such as at the quarterback position or right tackle position.

Trufant may not be Fuller, but considering the position that Bears’ general manager Ryan Pace has put the team in, the former Lions’ cornerback was a much needed signing.