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Chicago Bears: Free Agents Who Could be on their Radar

By Bryan Dietzler

Dec 11, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago Bears outside linebacker Pernell McPhee (92) and defensive end Akiem Hicks (96) celebrate after a play during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The Lions won 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago Bears outside linebacker Pernell McPhee (92) and defensive end Akiem Hicks (96) celebrate after a play during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The Lions won 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (28) rushes against the Houston Texans strong safety Quintin Demps (27) in the second quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (28) rushes against the Houston Texans strong safety Quintin Demps (27) in the second quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /

The safety position has been a troubling one for the Bears for several seasons.  It was thought it had finally been fixed, at least partially, when Adrian Amos played a decent season last year as a rookie.  But he has regressed in 2016 and doesn’t look to be a competent starter any longer.  Harold Jones-Quartey and Chris Prosinksi aren’t starters and Deon Bush has had a rough start.  He is not looking like a long-term solution.

Drafting a safety in the NFL is one of the most difficult things a team can do.  You don’t hit on a lot of them in the draft unless you can find a real gem.  Those are so hard to find.  First round picks are rarely spent on a safety these days.

The 2017 free agency group at safety is light with talent but there are a few guys that might interest the Bears.  And for the Bears, they have just one player hitting free agency at the safety position.  That is Chris Prosinksi. While that may be good, so that it doesn’t appear that they will have a lot of turnover here, they do need to get some new blood in at the safety position to make things better.

The top free agent safety right now is Kansas City Chief’s starter Eric Berry.  Granted, Berry is getting up there in age but he can still outplay most younger safeties and has a lot left. If the Bears could ever pry him away from Kansas City they would get a good one or two more years out of him and help solidify that position.  At least partially.

Another top safety in next year’s free agent class is Arizona’s Tony Jefferson.  Jefferson has been a solid performer for the Cardinals and he could be a good fit with the Bears.  He has slowly made his way “up” in terms of play and could be worth a free agent contract this offseason.

Some other potential free agent safeties that could work out include Dashon Goldson (Atlanta), Barry Church (Dallas), Shiloh Keo (Denver), Micha Hyde (Green Bay and he would be a good return specialist).  You also have Houston’s Quintin Demps along with New Orleans Saint Jamarca Sanford.  Oakland’s Nate Allen rounds out the list.

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The nice thing about any safety that you find on this list is that they are competent and could be an upgrade over the guys that the Bears currently have.  Chicago seriously need to look at an upgrade at the safety position and any one of the guys mentioned could help.

When it comes to what the Bears can do about keeping their own talent, we need to look at the track record of those that have played the safety position for them.  It’s doubtful that they will retain Prosinksi, unless they like his special teams’ skills which then might earn him a spot on.  But overall, the Bears need to improve their safety position greatly or else this is going to continue to be a consistent problem. It’s time for General Manager Ryan Pace to step up and do something about this.

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