Chicago Bears: 3 positions ready for COVID-19 impact
By Ryan Heckman
1. Safety
Ryan Pace has taken the safety position from being a question mark a few months ago to making it a huge strength and full of depth. At the beginning of the offseason, everyone wondered who would be starting opposite Eddie Jackson. Would they bring Ha Ha Clinton-Dix back or go after a free agent?
Pace started by signing free agent Jordan Lucas (who opted out) and re-signing Deon Bush, who is an incredibly valuable backup and potential starter. Then, he waited a while and signed former Pro Bowler Tashaun Gipson, who saw his best season with the Browns and also started for that vaunted Jacksonville Jaguars defense a couple of seasons ago.
Everyone immediately praised the Gipson signing, anointing him as the starter — which was an accurate assumption. Yet, just a few days ago, Pace also signed former Rams starting safety Marqui Christian, who has recent Super Bowl experience.
https://twitter.com/thecheckdown/status/1196243801750130688
At this point, it might be a competition between Gipson and Christian to see who gets the starting nod.
In the event of the coronavirus impacting one of the starters, the Bears will have one of those two ready in the wing, along with Bush. Not to mention, if Sherrick McManis and DeAndre Houston-Carson make the team, they’ll have both of those guys who are familiar with the defensive scheme. Chicago is loaded and ready to rock at safety.