Top-5 Defensive Players: 2012 Edition

by Dane Noble on Dec 28, 2011 8:47 PM CST

This week's announcement of the 2011-12 Pro Bowl rosters had three Chicago Bears defensive players listed -- LBs Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher, and CB Charles Tillman.

Some people are throwing around a couple other defensive guys' names that possibly should have been considered, including DE Julius Peppers and DT Henry Melton.

Here's what we are wondering: Looking ahead to 2012 (because that's really all we can do at this point), which of those players do you see making the biggest impact in 2012?

Poll

Which of the following players will make the biggest impact for the Bears in 2012?

Lance Briggs

13 votes

Brian Urlacher

26 votes

Julius Peppers

89 votes

Henry Melton

52 votes

Charles Tillman

6 votes

186 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 19 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Peppers and Urlacher

Urlacher’s impact is huge simply because there are few (if any) MLBs that could do what he does for this defense. Peppers has an equally huge impact and will even do more next year. He only missed ouf on a Pro Bowl this year because other guys had great years.

If its free, take two.

by T.J. Shouse on Dec 28, 2011 9:01 PM CST via Android app reply actions

Voted Peppers

I think (hope!) we’ll see improvement from the rest of the defensive line in 2012. That should translate to more from Pep because offenses won’t be able to focus their holding…uh, blocking so heavily on him. Actually, the holds will likely continue until the NFL figures out that defenders count too! And the better answer is—it’s a team sport. Everybody contributes or nobody does!

by Mdwymnstr on Dec 28, 2011 9:21 PM CST reply actions

Melton

He had made huge strides over the past 3 years and if that trend can continue he could find himself among the top tier of DT’s. That in turn would theoretically free up others along the D-Line such as Peppers.

***Jeff Fisher for front office 2012***
(A real change we can believe in)

by Joeb'n777 on Dec 28, 2011 9:37 PM CST via mobile reply actions

*has

***Jeff Fisher for front office 2012***
(A real change we can believe in)

by Joeb'n777 on Dec 28, 2011 9:38 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

i agree. he seemed to blossom this year.

let’s hope the trend continues.

by BOBdaBEAR on Dec 28, 2011 9:50 PM CST up reply actions

Ya, he just needs to become more consistent...

Which he was able to do towards the end of the season (he went on a run of 4 sacks in 5 games I believe before sitting out the Broncos game), and become more disruptive in the running game.

***Jeff Fisher for front office 2012***
(A real change we can believe in)

by Joeb'n777 on Dec 28, 2011 11:08 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

he also had a stertch in the middle of the season where he did nothing

When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Dec 29, 2011 8:58 AM CST up reply actions

And that's why I stated that he needs to become more consistent

***Jeff Fisher for front office 2012***
(A real change we can believe in)

by Joeb'n777 on Dec 29, 2011 11:35 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

I voted Melton

by JPSoprano80 on Dec 28, 2011 10:05 PM CST reply actions

Give Paea some time

I think he has STUD potential as well

by JPSoprano80 on Dec 28, 2011 10:06 PM CST reply actions

+1

I’m excited about him to. One thing that has largely gone unnoticed is that he gas been able to stay relatively healthy this season. That is big considering that there were some injury concurs with him coming out of college.

***Jeff Fisher for front office 2012***
(A real change we can believe in)

by Joeb'n777 on Dec 28, 2011 11:05 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

I'm higher on Paea than Melton

When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Dec 29, 2011 8:59 AM CST up reply actions

Me too

And possibly even Okoye. I don’t see Melton recording more than a few sacks in any season going forward. He’s shown some nice things as an inside pass rusher, but I don’t think he’s as good as the numbers show. Also, when’s the last time he had a sack?

I prefer the run stuffing, space-taker-uppers on the inside.

by dm1982 on Dec 29, 2011 1:08 PM CST up reply actions

Melton is the Key

Peppers and Urlacher are our MVP’s because of the nature of the Tampa 2 D. The tree key positions in the Tampa 2 are MLB (check) DE (check) 3Technick DT (not quite) FS (not even close). Would love to see Melton take the next step. Most players take time to step into stardom. However this season I felt Melton was just slight above average. Teams are not planning for him and most of the attention goes to Peppers. Hopefully he can have a breakout year in 2012.
P.S
Love seeing Tilman get to the Probowl. He always wanted to.

"Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting." - George Orwell

by RoyRockNRoll on Dec 28, 2011 10:35 PM CST reply actions

briggs

i voted briggs, because he could be with another team

by stepeo on Dec 29, 2011 12:24 AM CST reply actions

Awesome. Love it.

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Dec 29, 2011 5:49 AM CST up reply actions

Jason Taylor

how old is he? and do you think we could give him one more run-out opposite big Julius. Once more could,nt hurt

by stepeo on Dec 29, 2011 10:35 AM CST reply actions

no

When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Dec 29, 2011 12:01 PM CST up reply actions

Tillman

No, just kidding.

I guess Peppers, though his effectiveness is becoming increasingly limited as teams find they can get away with holding him more than usual. It seems to have increased at a steady rate since midseason. The Denver and Green Bay games were absolutely over the top. This season hasn’t been a matter of him taking up two blockers, instead just one blocker that holds him. He’s been most disruptive against teams that don’t hold him on each pass play, and when using his range to make plays on the backside of runs or across the field.

For that matter, I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I’m noticing a lot fewer holding calls around the NFL, not just in Bears games, this season, compared to previous seasons.

by dm1982 on Dec 29, 2011 1:06 PM CST reply actions