Biggs: Irving Impresses

bamainatlanta

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Column: Stronger Isaiah Irving eager for chance to boost Bears at outside linebacker

Brad BiggsContact Reporter
Chicago Tribune
For a guy who is five pounds lighter than he was at this time a year ago, Isaiah Irving sure looks bigger, and an offseason spent reshaping his physique hasn’t gone unnoticed.

The outside linebacker, signed last year by the Bears as an undrafted free agent from San Jose State, headed to Anaheim, Calif., in February to begin training and returned in April with an improved frame, one that he hopes will help him win a roster spot by the end of the summer.


Irving weighs 253 pounds and said a Bod Pod measurement showed he’s carrying 20 pounds more muscle than he did before his rookie season. His upper body is stronger and he has turned heads through the Bears offseason program that concludes with minicamp this week at Halas Hall.

“He had an outstanding offseason,” outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley said. “His body is at a great spot right now and his understanding of what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to do it has come a long way.”


Outside linebacker remains one of the biggest questions for the Bears, at least for those outside Halas Hall. Inside the building there’s confidence the team has enough quality and depth behind starters Leonard Floyd and Sam Acho.

Irving is set to get the first crack at a reserve job after veteran addition Aaron Lynch. It would be premature to call Irving a great find by the scouting staff, but that doesn’t mean the Bears aren’t looking at him as a potential role player with upside.

As is the case with most undrafted free agents, the second year is critical for Irving. He flashed traits as a rookie last preseason, played sparingly during the season and needs to display productivity in Year 2 in order to ensure his future after getting a signing bonus of just $5,000. The arrow must continue to point up for undrafted players because once they begin to plateau it’s easy for teams to make the decision to move on.

Irving knows the stakes, and that is what prompted him to head to Stars Performance Training, where he worked out with Raiders fullback Keith Smith, another former San Jose State player. Irving changed his diet and embraced the grind.

“It shows out here,” he said.

Irving has to stand out in training camp and then the preseason. He popped late last summer when he had a sack at the end of the third exhibition against the Titans and then recorded two more along with a forced fumble the next week against the Browns.

“It was a confidence builder for sure, but I knew those guys were not the guys I am going to be playing against and not the level of competition I hoped to be playing against,” Irving said.

Although he started the season on the practice squad, Irving was elevated to the 53-man roster after Willie Young’s season-ending injury. He wound up appearing in seven games, mostly on special teams. He landed on injured reserve in December with a knee injury suffered in practice after a season-high 36 snaps in Philadelphia on Nov. 26.


Injuries to others last year led to more practice time for Irving. He’s gotten some of the same this spring as Floyd and Lynch have both missed time.

“We feel he can make a push,” Staley said. “We really felt before he got hurt at the end of last year that he was making a push. We like a lot of the things that he brings to the table — he can rush, he is outstanding in the run game, heavy-handed, (and) he can move his feet really well in pass coverage.

“He’s got great makeup. It matters a lot to him. We’re excited to see how far he can make the push from OTAs to training camp.”

Irving played four seasons at San Jose State and started 37 of 47 games. He had only four sacks through his first three seasons before getting seven as a senior in 2016, which drew some attention.

The Bears don’t need Irving to be a standout, but if he can handle a reserve role and pitch in on special teams it will be a bonus. Departed veterans Young, Lamarr Houston and Pernell McPhee were not a lot of help in that area.

Irving didn’t watch the draft but said he paid attention to whom the Bears added as it went along. The team drafted outside linebacker Kylie Fitts in the sixth round, and Irving knows his situation would be different if the Bears had used a significantly higher pick on someone at his position.

“This is a big, big opportunity,” he said. “If I keep in the direction I am going now, I think I am going to see some good things going into training camp. I’m just working on myself, trying to get better within the scheme and build upon what I had last year.”

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who is not easily impressed, will wait to make meaningful judgments when it counts. He called Irving “lost” during much of training camp last summer.

“You really couldn't tell how good he was because he really didn’t know what to do and he was struggling,” Fangio said. “And then the light came on one day and a lot of it started making sense to him. He’s better off than he was last year obviously, but we’ll see. He’s still got to do it in game situations.”
 

Dragon Slayer

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I feel like we hear this every offseason about some 2nd year guy who has made strides in the offseason (Bullard/RRH come to mind in recent years) and then never fully pan out. I hope Irving shows up and balls out for the Bears sake, but I'm not going to buy into the hype until I see it on the field.
 

botfly10

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Why were people excited for Irving last year? Sincere question.

Was it just TC underdog hype or did people actually know something about him?
 

gwharris2254

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Apparently he was having his way with the OLINE in TC ?? and looked like a Floyd type understudy.

From what I can remember there were various different sourced accounts of him "looking good" What the F*** that means hopefully we can see translated to preseason and in September....especially if he is lighter and put on 20 lbs of muscle
 

botfly10

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Apparently he was having his way with the OLINE in TC ?? and looked like a Floyd type understudy.

From what I can remember there were various different sourced accounts of him "looking good" What the F*** that means hopefully we can see translated to preseason and in September....especially if he is lighter and put on 20 lbs of muscle

yeah, do you don't know either.
 

TexasBearfan

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we have a LB coach named Staley is this some kind of joke?
 

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“You really couldn't tell how good he was because he really didn’t know what to do and he was struggling,” Fangio said. “And then the light came on one day and a lot of it started making sense to him. He’s better off than he was last year obviously, but we’ll see. He’s still got to do it in game situations.”


Don't get too excited, Vic isn't yet.
 

JoJoBoxer

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we have a LB coach named Staley is this some kind of joke?
Why?

1496523002260
 

Spunky Porkstacker

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I'd say he'll be at aboot 20 sacks come seasons end, the next Lawrence Taylor we have here. That's exciting.
:bearbang:
 

Bearly

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“You really couldn't tell how good he was because he really didn’t know what to do and he was struggling,” Fangio said. “And then the light came on one day and a lot of it started making sense to him. He’s better off than he was last year obviously, but we’ll see. He’s still got to do it in game situations.”


Don't get too excited, Vic isn't yet.
Don't hold your breath on Vic excitement... other than a hole in one.
 

bears51/40

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I hope it comes together for Irving and can use this opportunity to not only make the team but press Lynch for a starting job. While I like Lynch's ability to pressure he doesn't put QB's on the ground. Sacks were an area Irving excelled at in college so there is that.
 

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