Trevis Gipson really stepped up this year when the Bears’ defense felt the absence of Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn, and Roquan Smith. Gipson, who the Bears drafted 155th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Since playing in only 7 games his rookie year, Gipson has appeared in 33 games over the past two seasons for the Bears. And in his time in Chicago so far, he has been a bright spot in a Bears defense that hasn’t had much of a reason to have bright spots. Let’s take a look into the young career of Trevis Gipson.
College Days
In 2014, he was a key contributor to his high school’s State Championship team in Cedar Hill, Texas. He committed to playing college football at Tulsa. He didn’t get the chance to start until his junior year, but when he got his chance, he showed why he was one of the best on the field. As an upperclassman, he recorded 12 sacks and 7 forced fumbles, which was good enough to gain traction from NFL star Von Miller. Gipson was selected to attend Von Miller’s “Von Miller Pass Rush Summit.” At this point, it was clear and evident that Gipson was NFL-bound, especially after playing in the 2020 Senior Bowl.
Professional Career
After seeing limited action in seven games his rookie year, Gipson stepped up when the Bears needed him during his sophomore year in the NFL. In 16 games, he recorded an astonishing 7 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. Although he plays linebacker, he demonstrated what it meant to be a true member of a Bears defensive player, following suit of the “Peanut Punch”, and getting the ball from the opposing offense. In 2021, Gipson indeed established why he should be a member of the Bears due to his leadership style and ability to change the narrative of a game with his style of play. So moving into 2022, there was no doubt that Gipson would see more playing time.
On March 16, 2022, the Chicago Bears traded star pass rusher Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for some picks. This really left an opening and an opportunity for Trevis Gipson to fill that void and play to his full potential. Although his stats in the 2022 season weren’t as appealing as that of his 2021 statistics, Gipson really helped the Bears in a season where they traded away other defensive stars, too. In 2022, he racked up 31 total tackles and 3 sacks. But, he did that in an injury-riddled Bears defense that finished near the bottom in a lot of NFL defensive rankings.
The Future
2023 is Gipson’s final year on his rookie contract in Chicago, and it will be interesting to watch how he develops his play. In the best-case scenario, Gipson performs at or near the level he did in 2021 on a Bears defense that will be hopefully better after the offseason where the Bears hold the first overall pick and the most amount of cap space. Ryan Poles has proven to be a tough, but fair, General Manager. And Gipson’s play in 2023 will surely determine his future with the Bears.
