Could Alec Ogletree really usurp Danny Trevathan at inside linebacker for the Chicago Bears? It’s possible — and head coach Matt Nagy just opened that door himself.
Trevathan just returned to practice this week after missing time in early August due to knee soreness, but a down year in 2020 has many questioning whether the 31-year-old linebacker has the same amount of juice he once did.
The veteran LB had a slow start in 2020, and he was burned badly in coverage several times throughout the season. He earned the worst marks of his career from Pro Football Focus in several areas: overall defense (44.1), coverage (46.4) and run defense (45.6), and even though he picked it up toward the end of the season, his performance on the year left legitimate cause for concern.
Trevathan started all 16 games last year, and finished the season with 113 total tackles (only three were for loss), one sack, a forced fumble and two quarterback hits. Based on Nagy’s recent comments, Trevathan could see his snap counts dwindle this season if he gets off to another slow start and Ogletree continues to perform well.
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Nagy: Ogletree Has ‘Continued to Play Fast’
Ogletree had six interceptions in his first four practices with the Bears, and in the team’s two preseason games so far, he has 7 tackles (5 solo, one for loss) and a pass defensed. He was released by the New York Jets last year, to be sure, but he looks sharp so far since joining the Bears in early August.
When asked if Ogletree could push Trevathan for playing time this season, Nagy said this on August 25:
Yeah. He’s (Ogletree) played well and that’s all you can do. I think for Danny, Danny is working through all of his stuff right now. In the end … we love Danny to death and we understand the leader that he is, the player the the is. But ‘Tree has come out here since Day 1 — I mean he’s had like seven or eight picks. He’s continued to just play fast. We want to create depth. We want to have that for our players there defensively, and I think he’s done a great job of letting us know that depending on where Danny is — status-wise, health-wise, etc., — we feel good with the way that ‘Tree’s played.
It’s interesting Nagy mentioned Ogletree playing fast, as that’s the thing Trevathan failed to do consistently last season.
Ogletree has also been making a good impression on his new teammates.
“The guy’s out there making plays,” linebacker Roquan Smith said about Ogletree on August 19. “You can see why he’s been in the league as long as he’s been. I tip my hat off to him — veteran, come in, doin the right thing, don’t say much but come out and work hard each and every day. That’s why I have respect for him.”
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Trevathan Says He ‘Feels Great’
For his part, Trevathan says he feels fit and ready to go heading into his 10th NFL season. He also says he’s ready to prove any doubters wrong.
“I feel great,” Trevathan said on August 26, via Sean Hammond of Shaw Media. “It’s fun knowing the game and being around guys and helping guys get better and still being able to play at a high level. I like when people don’t think that I can do something. It motivates me more.”
Trevathan also isn’t backing down from the challenge of having Ogletree waiting in the wings.
“I mean, it’s always great to have guys that can play linebacker with me,” Trevathan added. “I’m never knocking nobody. I’m never trying not to help somebody. So if I can help as a linebacker, as an older player, I’m going to help.”
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Bears HC Matt Nagy Puts Defensive Starter on Notice