When the Bears signed arguably one of the most intriguing undrafted free agents in Northern Illinois University QB Jordan Lynch, fans wondered how his unique skill set would translate to the pro game.
Lynch, who finished third in the 2013 Heisman Trophy voting, made his living as a dual-threat quarterback who could throw and rush well against opposing defenses. He broke numerous records in college for his rushing ability, including running for 316 yards against Central Michigan in October of last year. He then proceeded to break his own record one month later by rushing for 321 yards against Western Michigan. He finished his final season in college with 2,892 yards passing and 1,920 yards rushing.
But how would those skills serve him in pro football? Draft scouts knocked his ability to throw, and his scouting profile at NFL.com cited sporadic accuracy while playing in college. At the same time, many scouts raised red flags over his 6'0" height in a league where only a handful of quarterbacks, most notably Drew Brees and Russell Wilson, succeed without the height advantage. Teams passed on him in the draft, and the Bears signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent with the notion that he would have to switch positions in order to make the team. What kind of impact can an athletic player like Lynch make on the Bears?
Pure playmakers like Lynch thrive with the ball in their hands, and it takes creative offensive minds to figure out how best to do that. Marc Trestman and Aaron Kromer could utilize Lynch for any number of play types whether its purely running the ball or with some kind of trick play involving him passing, but game plans in the pros don't revolve around constantly running trick plays. Offenses need to establish solid fundamentals in both the running and passing games before getting creative, and the players themselves by extension need to establish the fundamentals needed to play their positions. A player like Lynch, who has question marks as a passer, also has gifted running abilities, which could prove valuable to the team this season.
But Lynch definitely helped himself by being open to switching positions. Athletic playmakers like Tim Tebow, who is determined to succeed as a quarterback despite shortcomings at the position, can be used creatively from time to time, but it's difficult to justify using a roster spot on a player who can't distance himself from other quarterbacks competing for a roster spot. Tebow stated repeatedly he wants to play only quarterback in the pros, but teams can't justify wasting the roster space if he can't master the fundamentals. Lynch, on the other hand, realizes that changing positions is the best way to compete a roster spot, and if nothing else, it's a foot in the door for his professional career. The Bears, at quarterback, currently have Jay Cutler, Jordan Palmer, Jimmy Clausen, David Fales and Jerrod Johnson. Only Cutler is a lock to make the roster, and Lynch would have been squeezed out quickly if he took the same stubborn approach as Tebow.
As a running back, Lynch is competing for a roster spot at a position that's much more wide open. The Bears carried three running backs on the regular season roster, and this year Matt Forte and rookie Ka'Deem Carey are the only two locks. Assuming the Bears will carry three running backs again this year, Lynch can secure that spot by being an impact player on special teams. His biggest competition comes from Michael Ford, who rounded out the roster at running back last year through his special teams contributions. The competition will come down to which player, whether it's Lynch, Ford or any other running back, brings more to the table on special teams and has the most potential for being an impact player.
Special teams will have to be Lynch's bread and butter, and the dominos will fall in his favor if he takes things one step at a time. If he can make the roster, it opens up the possibility of proving himself as a running back or even a quarterback someday. He carries the right attitude about the situation by focusing on being a football player first, and that should serve him as he tries to distance himself from the competition. If he distinguishes himself as a special teams player first and foremost, the sky's the limit for him as a professional football player.
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