The Chicago Bears wasted little time getting Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on the field following their trade to acquire him from the Cleveland Browns before the deadline. According to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, two things have stood out despite the small sample size.
Heading into his second game with the Bears, this time against the Minnesota Vikings, Tryon-Shoyinka, a first-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021, must build off what he showed in Week 10 against the New York Giants.
Fortunately, the traits Allen mentioned should allow him to do just that.
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The Bears put Tryon-Shoyinka on the field for 16 defensive plays and three on special teams against the Giants, per Pro Football Reference. He finished the game with 1 tackle, but flashed to natural abilities that bode well for the Bears.
“I think Joe’s smart,” Allen told Clocker Sports on Thursday. “I think he came in and kind of picked the system up pretty well. There’s still a growing process to go along with that. But I think he’s athletic. That’s really probably what I like the best, is that he’s an athlete. So, I think he’s going to add a little bit of something to us in terms of the pass rush. He does understand the game, and he’s an instinctive football player.”
During his introductory press conference following the trade to the Bears, Tryon-Shoyinka spoke candidly about seeking “consistency.”
That could come in the form of a consistent role as much as anything, and he could get it.
The Bears will not have Dayo Odeyingbo or rookie Shemar Turner for the rest of the season due to injuries. They turned to Austin Booker opposite Montez Sweat, and they could see Dominique Robinson return from an ankle injury this week.
Backup D-lineman/linebacker/special teamer Daniel Hardy also presents a pass-rushing option off the bench. Tryon-Shoyinka’s first-round pedigree suggests a higher ceiling than all of them.
The question is whether or not Tryon-Shoyinka can unlock it with the Bears.
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Tryon-Shoyinka was not the only Browns player, or even defensive end, that the Bears attempted to acquire before the trade deadline.
They also wanted 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
“When they were calling the Cleveland Browns, they did ask about Myles Garrett as well. But Myles Garrett was not available. So, they made a move that they obviously felt made a little bit more sense, and somebody that was attainable, unlike the All-World defensive end, Myles Garrett,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter told WGN’s Kaitlin Sharkey on November 11. But they made coals. They did what they could.
“They supplemented the roster in certain spots, where they could. They tried to be a little bit more aggressive. But it takes two teams to get a deal done. And in certain cases, other teams were not necessarily willing to part with players like Myles Garrett.”
It will remain a mystery how the Bears would have been with Garrett, or if their move for Tryon-Shoyinka will prove to be the off-the-bench spark they need, if not more.