Special Skills Place Jordan Lucas in Bears Roster Hunt
When it comes to playing safety in the Chicago Bears defense Jordan Lucas will compete for a starting spot with Tashaun Gipson and Deon Bush.
Since he's only started four NFL games in four years he's not really expected to be much of a force in this race.
The real place where Lucas will compete is special teams, and it's veteran safety Sherrick McManis who has the most to be concerned with because like McManis, Lucas is a gunner on punts.
"A lot of familiarity," Lucas said of coordinator Chris Tabor's special teams schemes. "Pretty much I'm going to be doing the same things I've been doing pretty much my whole career special teams-wise.
"Coach Tabor he has a good scheme. Just from watching film and playing the Bears last year I know the personnel fairly well. I'm excited to fit in with the guys and see where it leads us."
The familiarity is because his old special teams coordinator, Dave Toub, was Tabor's boss in Chicago in the Devin Hester era.
Lucas had no defensive starts last year but did register a career high with five special teams tackles. He made four in his first Chiefs season. In 2015 and 2016 he had six total with the Dolphins.
The speed to get downfield and cover on punts was apparent in Lucas before he came into the league with a 4.52-second combine performance in the 40-yard dash. He was selected in the sixth round by the Dolphins coming out of Penn State and has made 47 career tackles on defense.
"Well, a player obviously that we studied there in Kansas City and know him from when he also played in Miami," Tabor said. "He's a player that has speed; he's played in a lot of different spots.
"I saw obviously very aware of how coach Toub played him and the systems overlap there. But he's a good football player. He played in a lot of critical positions. He just adds depth and ability into our room.
"I'm excited about having him, because he has flexibility and he's a good football player and you can’t have enough of those guys. And he takes a lot of pride in it. So that's gonna be big for us."
McManis has been in Chicago since 2012 and has been a special teams mainstay.
While Lucas might have an edge by knowing the special teams schemes through Tabor's former affiliation with Toub, he has no such connection with head coach Matt Nagy from Kansas City.
"When I came in he had already left," Lucas said. "From what I've seen and in the short time meeting him over these Zoom calls, with what we're faced with right now you cold already tell the resiliency that he has, that this team has. The way that he just attacks meetings, the way that, you know, he's able to keep us all in the loop but keep us all engaged and, I guess, interested I guess you could say, that's a great sign and I can't wait to get to training camp."
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
Jordan Lucas at a Glance
Penn State S
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 190
Key Numbers: Lucas has increased his special teams participation each year he's been in the league and last year was on the field for 267 plays or 63% of Kansas City's special teams plays.
Roster Chances: 3.5 on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the most.
2020 Projection: 6 special teams tackles, 55% of special teams snaps.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
