Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan’s 2020 season hasn’t been very good so far, and that’s putting it gently. He’s been a liability in coverage and has appeared a step slow when diagnosing running plays.
The Bears rewarded Trevathan with a three-year, $21.75 million contract in the offseason because of his past play and leadership in the locker room, but that decision has been looking more and more like a mistake after the first seven games of the year.
Then came Week 8 against the Saints, and Trevathan was back to being what Bears fans have grown accustomed to seeing. He played with a different level of energy and physicality than we’ve seen from him all season, and it resulted in the team’s best Pro Football Focus grade on defense: 87.6.
Trevathan finished second on the team with 9.5 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Trevathan’s game scored well across the board. He earned an 84.1 in pass coverage, a 76.4 against the run, and an 83.5 in the tackling column.
To say Week 8 was Trevathan’s best game would be a massive understatement. Prior to Sunday’s performance against New Orleans, Trevathan’s season-best PFF grade was 78.3 against the Panthers. He’s had four games graded under a 45.0.
Maybe Sunday’s game is an indication that Trevathan is turning the corner and will be a more reliable second-level defender as the season marches on.
