Pete Prisco, Senior NFL Columnist for CBS Sports, has revealed his annual list of overrated/underrated players for all 32 teams in the NFL. This is another one of those lists that are 100% subjective. There aren't really any statistical backup for his picks, or any concrete evidence supporting his selections, but it's one heck of an off season topic for discussion.
Let's examine his picks for the Chicago Bears.
Overrated: CB Charles Tillman -- He certainly wasn't anything close to what he used to be last season. He struggled in coverage, but they didn't have much of a pass rush and the safeties were really bad. Age is starting to show.
Picking Tillman as the overrated Bear seems weird to me, because for years his play was very underrated. He didn't make a Pro Bowl until his 9th season, and he always seemed to be taken for granted by many Chicago fans. He finally receives some notoriety, he's selected for back to back Pro Bowls, but then he suffers through an injury plagued 2013 season.
Can we really consider Tillman overrated after his play last year? He did struggle, but was that because his play slipped, or because of injuries and poor play around him?
I think the most overrated player on the Bears is Kyle Long. Not because I don't think he's a very good player, but because I think his Pro Bowl nod came a bit early in his career. Don't forget he's still a very inexperienced football player that was prone to the occasional rookie mistake last season.
I did see enough good things from him that I have no question he will live up to the Pro Bowl expectations year after year.
Underrated: G Matt Slauson -- He came over as a free agent from the Jets and outplayed Jermon Bushrod, the higher priced free agent who played tackle next to him. He is a mauler and a brawler.
I liked the signing of Slauson to a one year deal in 2013, and I really liked when the Bears rewarded his play with a new long term contract. Slauson not only started all 16 games with the Bears, he played every offensive snap. He plays the game a little nasty, and he took on a mentor-ship role with rookie guard Kyle Long.
I like Prisco's pick of Slauson as the most underrated Bear.
Which Bears do you feel are overrated and which do you feel are underrated?