REBUILD: WHERE TO START (PT 7: SECONDARY)
Welcome back to the seventh installment of our position-by-position rebuilding a franchise discussion. As always, we will look into what positions should be focused on; the why's and why not's. I will do my best to stay neutral and focus on the Bears' history.
PART 7:SECONDARY
The secondary; safeties and corners. The Bears have also had some famous names playing in their secondary like future NFL head coaches Leslie Frazier and Jeff Fischer. There have been some famous nicknames that go along with groups and individuals as well. There was the Legion of Boom, Revis Island, and the Peanut Punch just to name a couple. In today's game, a strong secondary is essential. Compared to even a decade ago, teams are far more focused on the passing game than running the ball. Hence, the push from quarterbacks and receivers wanting to be the highest-paid players in the league. Should the guys who shut them down be thought of in a similar sense?
When the Bears were successful, they had a solid core of corners and/or a great tandem at safeties. In 1985, Pro-Bowler Todd Bell was strong safety next to Bears' all-time interception leader Gary Fencik at free safety. The corners were Leslie Frazier, Mike Richardson, Dave Duerson, and Shaun Gayle. In 2005-2006 the Bears had Mike Brown and Chris Harris at safeties and starting corners were Charles Tillman and Nate Vasher. When we made a run in 2018, just to be cut short by a double-doink, Amos and Jackson were standouts at safety and the corners were covered with Kyle Fuller, Bryce Callahan, and Prince Amukamara. It's no secret that the defense is what drove those teams to be successful. Denying a passing game when facing quarterbacks like Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Matt Stafford multiple games a year, gave the offense more time to score.
The Bears have had success without top players in coverage as well. The 2006 Super Bowl run was done without Mike Brown, who Brian Urlacher said was the actual leader of the defense. Brown was sidelined, for the season, with a foot fracture in week six. He was replaced by, then-rookie, Danieal Manning, who was a solid player, but not Pro-Bowl caliber.
As we sit now, Eddie Jackson is likely going to be teamed up with either Houston-Carson or Cruikshank. I'm hopeful about Cruikshank, he's a hustler and a heavy hitter that brings an attitude back to the defense. With the draft just around the corner (8 DAYS!), the Bears have already met with top 10 safety prospect Kerby Joseph out of Illinois. So they may be bringing in some help with the draft as well. There are still top options available at safety in free agency like Landon Collins, Terrell Edmonds, and Tyrann Mathieu. Though they also come with a larger price tag.
At corner, we have returning starter, Jaylon Johnson, working with Duke Shelley and team newbie, Tavon Young. The Bears haven't been documented meeting with any top corners in this year's draft. I wouldn't mind them taking a look at Kaiir Elam out of Florida. A physical kid whose dad and uncle were both NFL safeties (Abraham and Matt Elam). In free agency, the Bears could still look at bringing back Fuller or Callahan or maybe a younger player like Vernon Hargreaves.
It is a common conversation that the Bears need some help in their secondary. . What kind of a playmaker do they look for? A lockdown man-it-up corner like we had in a young Kyle Fuller. Someone who's going to bring the pain like Doug Plank used to do for us. Or a get the ball whenever possible Charles Tillman. It would be exciting to see anyone like them suit up. The question is where and how they go about it?
