Now that the preseason is behind all of us, tough decisions have to be made. NFL teams have to finalize their 53-man rosters before the season formally starts, and the Chicago Bears have decided to part ways with defensive end Jonathan Bullard.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the team's decision to cut the 25-year-old from Florida:
The #Bears are releasing DE
Jonathan Bullard, source said. A former third-round pick in the D-line rotation.— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2019
Bullard was drafted high in the 2016 NFL Draft, picked early in the third round by the Bears. He was touted to boost a defense that was one of the worst in the NFC.
Unfortunately for him, he didn't live up to the lofty expectations placed on him. While he got snaps in the NFL as part of the defensive rotation, he barely made the most out of the opportunities given to him. His 62 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 4 pass deflections are poor returns for his draft position.
It's hard to blame the Bears for putting high expectations out of Bullard coming out of Florida. He was a strong option during his four years with the Gators. He was especially superb in his senior year, where he made 63 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks.
While it is disappointing that his college play hasn't translated well into the NFL, it's wrong to immediately dismiss him. There are still NFL teams looking for quality defensive ends, and he has the tools to succeed.
If he finds the right situation, there's no question that he will be able to thrive the same way he did in his final two years at Florida. In the meantime, he has to wrestle with the fact that he is now without an NFL team.
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