Chicago Bears Draft 2015: Top Safety Targets
Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bears have a need at the safety spot. They have for years now. I take a look at the top safety options in the 2015 draft.
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The Chicago Bears have a need at safety. They have for years. They’ve tried to remedy that problem, having picked a safety in 11 of the last 13 drafts, but they still have not hit.
Two seasons ago, the Bears had two of the worst rated safeties in the NFL in Chris Conte and Major Wright. Wright left through free agency, and the Bears selected Brock Vereen in the draft and signed free agent Ryan Mundy.
Mundy had a pretty good year in 2014, finishing second on the team in tackles with 108, and tying for the team lead in interceptions with four.
Vereen was promising last season, recording 38 tackles and getting an interception playing a part-time role. It remains to be seen if he can step up as a full-time starter, however.
Of course, Conte was still getting burned and still looked lost on the field at times, and with his injuries, he felt the fans’ wrath. He is a free agent and is not expected to be back.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace explained how difficult it is to hit at the safety spot. “I think the reason why that position is difficult is because it’s such an instinctive position,” Pace said Wednesday at the NFL combine. “I think if there’s an area where scouts, we make mistakes, is judging instincts.
When I think of a safety, number one is instincts, ball skills and open-field tackling. Those are things that come to mind. You know, sometimes the ball is coming out quick in the college game now with the spread offense. But the No. 1 reason why that position gets mis-evaluated sometimes is because of the instincts.”
The Bears will probably make it 12 years in the last 14 that they will choose a safety. Let’s take a look at some of the top safety options.
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