Prince Amukamara dubbed Bears' unsung hero

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The list of stars on the Chicago Bears defense is a long one. Whether it's Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, Eddie Jackson, Kyle Fuller or Roquan Smith, there's no shortage of headliners for defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to coach this season.

But one player who's hardly ever acknowledged whenever the Bears' defense comes up is CB Prince Amukamara, the eight-year veteran who tied a career-high with three interceptions in 2018. Paired with Fuller, Amukamara gives Chicago one of the better cornerback tandems in the NFL.

Amukamara initially joined the Bears on a one-year contract in 2017 but quickly emerged as a big piece of what Chicago wanted to be on defense. He was signed to a three-year, $27 million extension last offseason and was just dubbed the Bears' unsung hero.

Amukamara isn't flashy, nor is he grabbing a ton of interceptions, but he does go after an opposing team's No. 1 wideout. He was targeted 51 times in 2017 and allowed 31 catches, then 83 more times with 53 allowances in 2018, grading out at 80.2 at PFF.

It's going to be hard for the veteran corner to ever get the appreciation he deserves while playing next to a budding star like Eddie Jackson on the back end of the defense, but he's a solid player and doesn't show signs of slowing.

Amukamara and the rest of the Bears' defense will be tested Thursday night against a Packers offense that features Aaron Rodgers and one of the elite wide receivers in the game, Davante Adams. In fact, the outcome may come down to how well Chicago's secondary plays, which will put Amukamara in position to climb out of his teammates' shadows and make a heroic, game-winning play.

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