Bears Don’t Plan to Add Veteran Safety

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Bears’ GM Jerry Angelo sat down with team sock puppet Chicagobears.com‘s senior reporter Larry Mayer to chat about a number of topics. Among those topics is one that has been kicked around forever – the safety position. Check out this exchange:

LM: Do you see the Bears upgrading the safety position in free agency or the draft, or would you be comfortable starting the season with players currently on the roster?

JA: Right now we would be comfortable starting with the present cast of players at the position. Certainly it’s a much talked about position. I’m talking about the safeties and the corners, and we’re going to look hard at that. We did sign [cornerback] Tim Jennings, a young player with talent that has familiarity with the scheme. We looked at a veteran safety, but we felt that we wanted to pass on that. We just didn’t feel the timing was right. So we’ll just wait and see. Again, you’re not going to field a Pro Bowler at every position, and you don’t have to. The players that we presently have we feel good about. But we always want to create competition and better depth.

Don’t throw Tim Jennings at the fans and say that you’re addressing anything other than special teams. That doesn’t do anything for me. With regard to the veteran safety position, I am guessing that JA was referring to the Bears’ flirtation with Antrell Rolle at the start of Free Agency. That would have been something. Instead, the Bears chose to make their splash with Julius Peppers and a couple of offensive players, leaving a gaping hole in the secondary.

When Jerry says that “you’re not going to field a Pro Bowler at every position” you have to laugh. I am not asking for Pro Bowlers, I am asking for a basic level of competency. Is that too much to ask for? Is it asking for too much for players who know their assignments and can be in the correct position?

This is in stark contrast to what Lovie Smith said about the need to “invest” in the safety position. I guess that investment will come in the draft. I profiled the top choices here, but with their first selection at #75, the top choices will be long gone. And Bears fans will be left wondering why their opponents are able to score long touchdowns while a rookie safety is wondering where he was supposed to be on the last play.

Topics: Jerry Angelo, Veteran Safety

http://www.blogdownchicagobears.com Shea

I feel the same way. Angelo speaks in contradictions and in circles. I always get the sense that he is being dishonest with us, fans.

If you have time, I wrote something on this interview here, repeating your sentiment…and then some.
MM

Larry Mayer is worthless.
PapaTBear

While I agree JA tends to run in circles, and Meyer is just a puppet, you have to remember that all GM’s talk in circles so they don’t let on to their plans. You can’t complain about him being dishonest to the fans when any information he gives to the fans every other team in the league will hear about as well. I am a diehard Bears fan, and am not trying to play devil’s advocate, I want Jerry gone as much as the next guy, but you expect him to ACTUALLY say what he plans to do, no GM ever does that, nor should they. Also don’t be suprised if JA makes a move for Attogowe with the Rams, he will be a fifth year free safety who is above average in coverage skills and is familiar with the cover 2, he becomes a free agent June 1st if he does not sign his RFA tender.

Boomer

Papa – good points. I don’t think it’s what Jerry says as much as how he says it. I don’t expect him to come out and say, “We are going to take a safety in the 3rd round, a linemen in the 4th round…”

I think there’s a way to provide an honest assessment of your roster without tipping your hand. Besides, the Bears’ needs are so obvious, anyone with a pulse knows what they need.

As far as Atogwe goes, I think it’s a longshot that he lands with the Bears unless they come up empty on a safety in the draft. He will command top dollar and they Bears already spent a ton this offseason.