The Chicago Bears haven’t sent many players to the Pro Bowl since Lovie Smith was calling the shots, but Ryan Pace’s roster has a few players with that type of potential entering 2018.

Former Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt, now a senior analyst for NFL media, sees Leonard Floyd as the Bears’ best candidate to be a first-time Pro Bowler this year.

Chicago Bears Leonard Floyd, OLB, third NFL season. Floyd had seven sacks as a rookie in 2016, but missed six games last season due to a knee injury. He’s a talented guy who can drop into coverage or rush with his hand on the ground and should play much better this season. He also has become much stronger since coming into the league.

Floyd would need to take a big step in 2018 to have a Pro Bowl-caliber season, but this is supposed to be the year he takes that next step.

The first issue is just staying healthy, but if he can play 16 games, he needs to be pushing double-digit sack numbers as the Bears’ No. 1 pass rusher. That could be his ticket to the all-star game.