Kyle Fuller was an absolute stud at cornerback for the Bears. But in a shocking but understandable move, Fuller was let go by the Bears to clear up to $12M in cap space.
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The Bears defence has been elite for 3 seasons now. Their offence, however, not so much. In a move that was probably done to increase offensive re-enforcement for newly signed QB Andy Dalton, the Bears let Fuller go, eating up almost $6M in dead money.
The 29-year-old morphed into a stud at cornerback for the Bears ever since being drafted in 2014. His elite skill earned him a Pro Bowl nod in 2018 and 2019. He was also selected to be an All-pro in 2018 after a league-leading 7 interceptions and 21 pass breakups.
Fuller did however have a bit of a fall of in 2020. After a great 2019 season, Fuller tied for 94th in the league with one interception and 51st in pass breakups with eight.
Fuller’s release came at time that could be either bitter or sweet for him. The 2020 free agency class for cornerbacks is weak, so Fuller’s talents will be in high demand. Given that the cap has been lowered due to a revenue downfall created by COVID-19, most teams are not in great situations heading into the second wave of free agency.
This could mean a short term deal for Fuller, who will likely hit free agency again next season where the cap will be significantly higher. With that said, here are the top 3 destinations that could sign Fuller in 2021:
Denver Broncos
Kyle Fuller’s 2018 All-Pro – Pro Bowl season came under the defensive scheme of then defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. His position coach at the time was Ed Donatell. Well, Vic Fangio is now the Head coach for Denver Broncos, his defensive coordinator being Ed Donatell. Given how important scheme fit is for the cornerback position, there is no question Fuller can thrive in Fangio’s match-quarters defence.
Kyle Fuller is extremely durable, registering a league-leading 4100 snaps over the last 4 seasons. Given that the Broncos cornerback unit consists of ACL tear returnee Essang Bassey and oft-injured Bryce Callahan, Fuller’s addition will be great for the Broncos. And with Fuller in the mix, the Broncos will be able to address more concerning needs for the team with the No.9 pick in the draft.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys’ pass defence was horrific in 2020. After allowing 33 touchdowns in the air, addressing their situation at corner will be key heading into the 2021 draft. Apart from being linked to veteran corner Richard Sherman, the Cowboys haven’t really made any moves. But for a team that went 6-10 in one of the worst division in NFL history, and having a reasonable $11M + in cap space, they have been rather quiet
Adding fuller to the roster will definitely be a step in the right direction. The Dallas offence is stacked. So if the defence can step up from their disastrous season in 2020, the Cowboys could be making a play for making the playoffs
New York Jets.
Even after big signings in Carl Lawson and Corey Davis, the Jets still have one of the highest available cap room in the NFL. New head coach Robert Saleh has known to value physical cornerbacks during his time as defensive coordinator for the 49ers. And with Fuller being exactly that, he will fit like a glove in Saleh’s defence.
Saleh re-established Richard Sherman’s career after he supposedly fell from his elite standards. After a stretch of down years, the stud cornerback made the Pro Bowl in 2019 under Saleh’s No.1 ranked defence in the whole league.
Kyle Fuller and Robert Saleh will be an exciting pairing. And with the Jet’s having a major need out at the boundary at cornerback, Fuller to the Jets will not be surprising.
Honourable mentions: The San Francisco 49ers. The Los Angeles Chargers.
