Bears senior writer reveals who he believes to be the Bears' most improved player so far this year!
I know that this year's team might not be one that will be in the record books. The roster is currently not where you would like it to be. However, we still have multiple players that should get our juice flowing.
On that subject, Bears senior writer Larry Mayer was asked who would he say is the most improved player you've seen so far in training camp, an individual who has stepped up and performed better than expected?
Here is his response:
The first player who comes to my mind is cornerback Kindle Vildor. The previous regime, which selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 draft out of Georgia Southern, was very high on him entering last season. They looked at him as someone who could help replace veteran Kyle Fuller. Vildor, however, failed to live up to those expectations and struggled in 2021. So far in training camp, I've seen a different player. Vildor has taken a lot of reps with the No. 1 defense when Kyler Gordon moves inside to nickel and has displayed instincts and aggressiveness; he seems to be playing with more physicality than he has in the past. Here's what coach Matt Eberflus recently said about the third-year pro: "I like his competitiveness, where he's shown in this camp so far. He's competing. He's put a nice couple of thuds on some runners." Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker has been impressed with Vildor as well, telling reporters: "He's very great at his technique. He's super serious, so when he's in man-to-man, he owns his leverage, whether that's inside or outside, whatever defense we're playing, but he always owns his leverage and he's getting better. He's really locked in."
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I agree that Vildor is a very talented player. Though he was a 5th-round pick out of Georgia Southern, GM Ryan Poles and coaches talked as if he was far better than his draft slot indicated. This was proven in performances against Clemson and again in the Senior Bowl. Vildor looked like he belonged on the field with the other more celebrated names. When he finally saw action as a rookie and as a second-year player? There were some inevitable hiccups, but he also provided glimpses of that talent.
Here are a few examples:
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