Full Chicago Bears Awards at the Quarter Mark of the 2014 NFL Season
It is hard to believe, but the Chicago Bears are officially a quarter of the way through the 2014 season following their 38-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 4.
The offense and defense have both shown flashes at times this season, but there has been too much inconsistency on both sides of the football to truly know where this team stands after the first four weeks of the season.
The team currently averages 349 yards of total offense and 23 points per game, down from the 381.8 yards of total offense and 27.8 points per game they averaged in 2013.
On the other side of the football, the team is currently giving up an average of 372.8 yards of total offense and 25 points per game, which is a slight improvement over last year's average of 394.6 yards of total offense and 29.9 points per game.
Despite dropping to 2-2 on the season following their loss to Green Bay, there are still some areas of the team that deserve recognition.
With a quarter of the 2014 season already in the rear-view mirror, we have given away awards to many of the team's most notable players through the team's first four games. In addition to handing down typical awards, such as offensive/defensive player of the year and most valuable player, we also handed out a Mr. Versatility award, given to the player who has become a jack-of-all trades on the field, as well as the most disappointing free-agent signing award.
Come take a look at our full Chicago Bears awards at the quarter mark of the 2014 NFL season.
Mr. Versatility: Brock Vereen
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Drafted in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears this past May, safety Brock Vereen began his NFL career running with the first team during OTAs and the early portion of training camp before the return of Chris Conte forced him down to the second team.
Despite starting the season as the backup to Conte at the free safety position, Vereen has already turned himself into the team's most versatile player.
Already counted on to be a major contributor on special teams, Vereen was thrust into action in Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers when Charles Tillman went down with a triceps injury. Since the team only had two healthy cornerbacks at the time in Tim Jennings and Kyle Fuller, the coaching staff opted to use Vereen, a former cornerback in college, in their nickel package.
"#Bears using rookie S Brock Vereen as nickel DB - huge rookie night for #Bears
— John Mullin (@CSNMoonMullin) September 15, 2014"
Vereen ended up playing 18 snaps against San Francisco and was thankful for the help from his teammates.
"Next man up," Vereen said after the game, via Kevin Fishbain of ChicagoFootball.com. “I was fortunate to have great vets to learn from throughout the week, so when I was out there doing it, I had seen everything before.”
Head coach Marc Trestman told the media after the game he was happy with Vereen's performance, via the team's official Twitter account:
"Trestman on #Bears rookie safety Vereen: "I thought he played good. Brock is a very smart guy."
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 16, 2014"
The team signed Isaiah Frey off their practice squad to fill the void at the nickelback position heading into the team's Week 3 matchup with the New York Jets, leaving Vereen to go back to his backup role at free safety.
Vereen's time spent back on the bench did not last long following injuries to safeties Chris Conte, Ryan Mundy and Danny McCray against the Jets on Monday Night Football.
With Conte, Mundy and McCray all struggling to get back onto the field, Vereen ended up playing the final 34 snaps of the game at the free safety position.
"4th round pick Brock Vereen entering the game in the 2nd half for the second straight week, this time at safety.
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) September 23, 2014"
While Vereen hasn't made any spectacular plays out on the field, he has proved in just a couple of games how important his versatility is to the defense.
The team will continue to expect him to be a major contributor on special teams, but they also know they have a player who has the versatility to fill in at two important positions on defense if needed.
Most Disappointing Free Agent-Signing: Lamarr Houston
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After releasing Julius Peppers this offseason, the Chicago Bears made a point to improve their pass rush through free agency.
The Bears wasted little time addressing their need at defensive end after releasing Peppers, signing Lamarr Houston to a five-year, $35 million deal on the first day of free agency.
Houston accumulated just 16 sacks in four seasons with the Oakland Raiders, but the hope was he could develop into a more dominant pass-rusher in Chicago.
In four games Houston has just three tackles to his name and was not listed in the box score against San Francisco or Green Bay. One of the most troubling aspects of his game has been his inability to even put pressure on the quarterback, especially against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, via 670 The Score's Joe Ostrowski:
"Bears DEs Lamarr Houston & Willie Young forced a whopping 0 pressures in 58 combined rush snaps on Rodgers, per @PFF. #FreeAgency
— Joe Ostrowski (@JoeO670) September 29, 2014"
In his latest video on Bleacher Report, ChicagoFootball.com's Hub Arkush believes the Bears are not using Houston correctly. While he was signed as a defensive end, he likely is best suited to play inside at the 3-technique position where he can better utilize his speed and athleticism against slower interior lineman.
While it is still very early in the season and he has a chance to turn it around, Houston has unfortunately been the team's most disappointing free-agent signing through the first quarter of the season.
Rookie of the Year: Kyle Fuller
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When the Bears selected Kyle Fuller with the 14th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Chicago fans were left wondering if the team had selected another Shea McClellin or another Kyle Long.
After just four games, it appears that Fuller is on the same fast track Long was on in his rookie season in 2013.
Fuller is currently tied with Philadelphia's Malcolm Jenkins for the most interceptions in the NFL with three, and he is tied with San Diego's Antoine Cason for the most forced fumbles in the league with two.
He struggled at times against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Week 4, but he has otherwise played terrific this season.
After Charles Tillman went down with a season-ending injury in Week 2 against San Francisco, Fuller has fully embraced his new role on defense and is confident in his abilities.
"It could be confidence but I am not worried about what the quarterback is doing." Fuller said, via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. "I am going to make sure I am in position to make a play if that is what they are trying to do. If they throw at me 10 times, that's 10 times I (can) make a play."
That confidence has translated on the field for Fuller during the first quarter of the season. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Fuller is currently the sixth-highest graded cornerback in the NFL with a plus-4.9 rating.
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers were not afraid to attack Fuller in Week 4, but because of the team's lack of pass rush up front, Fuller was forced to try and contain guys like Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb for much longer than he should have.
It may be a small sample size, but if Fuller plays the next 12 games like he played the first four, he has a real chance to develop into one of the league's best young cornerbacks in just his first season.
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Offensive Player of the Year: Jay Cutler
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Despite throwing 10 touchdowns in the team's first four games, Jay Cutler's costly turnovers continue to be the focal point when discussing his 2014 season.
Cutler has thrown four interceptions this season, two each against Buffalo in Week 1 and Green Bay in Week 4.
Even with his four interceptions, Cutler has already thrown for 1,006 yards, and his 10 touchdowns are the second-most in the NFL behind Andrew Luck's 13.
Cutler is going to make mistakes, that has been painfully apparent at times throughout his career, but he still can do things on the field many others simply cannot.
After taking a huge hit against the San Francisco 49ers late in the second quarter back in Week 2, Cutler looked like a changed guy, finishing the game going 13-of-14 for 112 yards and three touchdowns.
He played well the following week against the New York Jets, finishing the game with 225 yards through the air with two touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 94.7.
Cutler unfortunately reverted back to his old self in the third quarter against Green Bay, leaving many to question whether Cutler has truly changed, including Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman:
"Everyone was praising Cutler as being different. Everyone. But he will always be Jay Cutler.
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) September 28, 2014"
It is hard to completely disagree with Freeman, but there are many areas of Cutler's game that he has improved this season.
He has been terrific stepping up in the pocket, he has reduced his tendency to throw the football off his back foot and his current 65.8 completion percentage is the highest of his career.
While he can leave fans scratching their heads at times, the Chicago Bears would likely not be sitting with a record of 2-2 if it were not for Jay Cutler.
Defensive Player of the Year: Willie Young
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Despite a poor showing in a loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 4, Willie Young has been Chicago's most consistent defensive player through the first four games of the season.
Signed by the Bears this offseason to help bolster the team's pass rush, Young racked up four sacks in the team's first three games before being held without a sack against Green Bay.
While his biggest impact this season has come as a pass-rusher, he has also played solid against the run. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Young has the second-best grade against the run along the defensive line for the Bears with a plus-2.8.
The entire defensive line struggled against the Packers and Aaron Rodgers, but Young came up big in the team's first three games, especially when defending the zone-read option, via Kevin Fishbain of ChicagoFootball.com:
"That's not the first time this year Willie Young has stayed home on some misdirection, forced a throwaway there. Nice recognition, pressure.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) September 23, 2014"
Young is not a big name like Jared Allen or Lance Briggs, but he has been far more consistent than any other member of the Bears defense, and head coach Marc Trestman has been impressed with what he has seen from Young in the early part of the season.
"We've seen the productivity; he's been highly productive," Trestman said earlier this season, via Eli Kaberon of ChicagoBears.com. "He's been active and he's produced strongly when he's had the reps."
Young has seen his snaps increase every week due to his strong play, and he was thrust into a more prominent role in Week 4 against the Packers. After playing an average of 36 snaps in the team's first three games, Young played 47 snaps against Green Bay.
His production dropped against the Packers, but considering how poorly the defense played as a whole, not all the blame can be placed on Young.
Despite his struggles against Green Bay, Young's ability to get after the quarterback and make stops against the run are what make him the team's defensive player of the year through the first four games of the season.
Most Valuable Player: Martellus Bennett
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After having been suspended during training camp for a scuffle with rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller, who would have guessed Martellus Bennett would be Chicago's most valuable player after four games this season?
Bennett currently leads the team in catches (29) and receiving yards (295), is second in touchdowns with four and has acknowledged that his suspension during training camp may have been the best thing for him.
"When I came back, I was refreshed, and I just got right back into the flow of things," Bennett said, via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. "I think it was a blessing in disguise."
Nobody appreciates Bennett's quick turnaround more than quarterback Jay Cutler.
While guys like Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery have been Cutler's security blanket in the past, Cutler's trust in Bennett has helped turn him into Cutler's new go-to guy.
"He's definitely doing exactly what we want him to do, which is a good thing," Cutler said, via Campbell. "There's no gray area when it comes to me and him on Sunday."
Bennett caught two touchdowns in a victory against the New York Jets in Week 3 and finished Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers with nine catches for 134 yards.
Despite his recent production, Bennett feels more teams need to respect his game along with Marshall and Jeffery's.
"I feel like my teammates are great, but you have to respect my game as well," Bennett said, via Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun-Times. "I’m not just a spare tire that you throw on a car. My tread is just like the other tires. I’m rolling just like them. I just feel like it’s a little lack of respect for me as a tight end in the NFL."
Bennett might feel like he is lacking respect in the NFL, but no other member of the Chicago Bears has made the same impact he has through the first quarter of the season.
While his numbers may drop off in the coming weeks, his production through the first four games of the season proves his name belongs among the league's elite at the tight end position.
Record/statistical information provided via email from the Chicago Bears or ESPN.com.
Matt Eurich is an NFL/Chicago Bears Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.
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