Could Brandon Boykin be the Bears’ next Tracy Porter?
The Chicago Bears have signed free agent cornerback Brandon Boykin. He and fellow signee wide receiver B.J. Daniels bring the roster total back to 90 players. While some may see this move as just filling up the roster, Boykin has potential to be a lot more than just another roster filler.
Back in May, NFLTradeRumors.com ranked the top 50 available free agents and Boykin came in seventh. Keep in mind that since then, two of the players ahead of him have been signed (Fitzpatrick and Boldin). This means that the Bears got one of the best players left on the market.
He also fills a big need. Just today I published an article on the Bears’ biggest needs heading into training camp, and cornerback was one of them. Having Boykin along makes the group look better as a whole.
Boykin is one of the best slot corners in the game today, which makes it surprising that he lasted this long in free agency. In fact, the Panthers signed him earlier this offseason but let him go despite the departure of Josh Norman.
He has racked up eight interceptions in four seasons in the NFL, three of those seasons played in Philadelphia with the Eagles. His best year came in 2013 where he caught six picks and forced two fumbles. While he hasn’t had more than one interception in a season since then, he will undoubtedly be aided by having a revamped, tenacious Bears front-seven helping him out.
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Boykin can also be a part of the Bears’ long-term plans as well – he’s still only 26 years old. His signing fits in well with the team’s youth movement.
The Bears had great luck in a similar situation when they signed veteran cornerback Tracy Porter in June of 2015. He is now lined up to be their #1 corner this year. Given that Boykin is viewed as better than Porter was last year, it will be interesting to see what he can do in a Bears uniform.
Even though it’s late July, Ryan Pace continues to find solid, cheap talent. The signing of Brandon Boykin is no exception.
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