Al-Quadin Muhammad in position to succeed despite missing Bears offseason workouts

Al-Quadin Muhammad isn’t a household name, but he is critical to the Chicago Bears’ defensive puzzle. Muhammad signed a two-year, $8 million contract this offseason and will be part of a collection of edge rushers charged with replacing Khalil Mack. His absence from the Bears’ offseason program has raised some eyebrows, but perhaps that’s an overreaction.

Muhammad is one of the few players on the roster who’s familiar with coach Matt Eberflus, the defensive system, and the expectations that come along with the program. He shined under Eberflus during his first season as a starter with the Indianapolis Colts in 2021, finishing with a career-high six sacks. It’s fair to assume Eberflus recommended Muhammad to Poles in free agency, and it makes sense. Adding quality players who know the system helps ease the transition from the old to the new.

Perhaps, it’s that experience that’s why Muhammad hasn’t come to work yet. He already had his Eberflus learning curve, and it’s unlikely his missed time will cause him to fall behind.

“I had to figure out the message that (Eberflus) was giving,” Muhammad said in March. “And I had to figure out how to do it on a consistent basis. I had to figure out how to do it every day. I had to change my perspective, change my mindset, and I had to really just buy in.”

Once Muhammad bought in, the rest took care of itself. He learned the scheme, and as he noted in March, he scripts his offseason training around it.

“It wasn’t hard to buy in because the way the scheme is set up. If you’re not playing at a fast pace, you’re not running to the ball, punching at the ball, stripping at the ball, just 11 guys to the ball, you’re not going to play. I bought into that immediately, and I train that way during the offseason. Getting to the ball is always on my mind.”

Al-Quadin Muhammad needs to impress once training camp arrives

Muhammad is preparing for the 2022 season the way Eberflus wants his players to. He’s focusing on the core HITS philosophy (hustle, intensity, taking care of the ball and forcing takeaways, situational smarts), even if he hasn’t gone to work at Halas Hall yet. Sure, it’s a bad look for a free-agent signing to bail on the opportunity to bond with his new teammates, but that will be forgotten when training camp rolls around in July.

Robert Quinn, the Bears’ top pass rusher who set the franchise’s single-season sack record in 2021, has also been absent. And while Quinn’s absence has sparked unfounded trade rumors, he’ll be back on the field for training camp as one of Chicago’s defensive leaders.

Muhammad doesn’t have that kind of clout, and he has a lot of work to do to get there. Remember: the best year of his career totaled just six sacks. He may not need the extra time to learn Eberflus’ system, but there are plenty of alternative pass-rushers Bears coaches can turn to if Muhammad gets off to a slow start. His contract gives Chicago an out next year (only a $500,000 dead-cap figure).

Hopefully, next year this time, general manager Ryan Poles will be more concerned with extending Muhammad than releasing him. And it’s way too soon to suggest either one of those outcomes is likely.

Muhammad is a professional. He knows Eberflus’ system. And he’s preparing — in his way — for a breakout 2022 campaign. He just isn’t in Chicago… for now.