Bernard is good and he will be missed. He would have made us better this year, though we'll never know just what plays he would have made to have made us better. But best player? I assume you meant just on defense, but even still. A guy named Fred Warner has that title down, and his teammates don't debate it. After that you've got Takitaki, maybe even Kaufusi, Pa'u was showing better pre-injuries, and Troy Warner.

Bernard's good. Very good. But he's not an insurmountable loss. Mangum would hold that title.