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Danny Trevathan's Value Apparent to Chuck Pagano

Whether to bring veteran Danny Trevathan back next season will be a difficult decision but defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano doesn't see any slippage from his field leader, who will be 30 next spring.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Whether general manager Ryan Pace has given up on linebacker Danny Trevathan remains to be seen.

Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano apparently hasn't.

Trevathan went on injured reserve Wednesday and with no contract for next year, the 29-year-old inside linebacker is reaching a crossroads in Chicago. He will be 30 in the spring and has missed 18 games with the Bears in four seasons due to injuries and a one-game suspension for a hit on Davante Adams.

So it's debatable whether they would want to bring him back, especially with backup Nick Kwiatkoski showing now he is worth retaining with a new deal.

"I've watched Danny from afar his entire career and I've always been impressed with how he's played the game, but just being on the same team, in the same locker room, same sideline—just a great pro, great leader," Pagano said. "His play on the field speaks for itself, but just how he handles himself, how he carries himself day in and day out, he's just a human being. He's a great teammate."

Trevathan looked even more effective than in some other seasons. He averaged 7.8 tackles a game, the highest number he had for any season with the Bears. His tackles for loss were down from eight in 2018 to two this season.

Trevathan's leadership as the defensive field general isn't questioned.

Pagano coached with the Baltimore Ravens toward the end of Ray Lewis' career and saw an older linebacker become valuable.

"Year 11, 12, 13, 14 with Ray, we just kept saying, 'When's it gonna be over?' And it was never over. Those top competitors, those guys that understand their body and know how to take care of themselves, they take no time off," Pagano said. "The older you get, the less time you take off in the offseason.

"Time will only tell on that, but we all know Danny. If I know the Danny Trevathan that you guys know, time will tell on those things, but he'll die making sure he's ready to go (next year). You look at him this year, he came back in phenomenal shape and looked explosive and fast and quick like he hadn’t lost a step, and he played that way. There's stuff left in there. Don't ever count him out."

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