Chicago Bears: Ending the confusion about the safety position
The Chicago Bears add a free safety after the draft
The Chicago Bears found another cap casualty in free agency after the draft. In 2016, the Bears signed Josh Sitton, who was released by the Green Bay Packers due to his age and cap hit. The Chicago Bears took full advantage of that by making him their starting left guard that season, and he fully showed off his pass blocking excellence with a grade of 91.2 in 2016 and 84.8 in 2018.
Tashaun Gipson should be this year’s, Josh Sitton. Gipson has shown that on an elite defense that he can hold up serviceably in coverage against tight ends and by himself deep in single-high coverage.
While he is not HaHa Clinton-Dix, he also doesn’t come with the same contract. Deon Bush, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Jordan Lucas, Sherrick McManis, and Kentrell Brice were about the only known potential safeties on the roster before adding Gipson. One could include seventh-round flier Stephen Denmark on that list if they are feeling froggy.
Chuck Pagano asks his safeties to be able to switch roles at all times. A safety could be lined up in the slot, deep, in the box, or out wide if necessary. I believe that’s the only reason why Denmark hasn’t been moved to the safety role. They need to be instinctive and explosive. A player will always be better at one thing over another, but the safeties in this defense need to be good at everything.
Fangio has his version of Eddie Jackson in Justin Simmons. Simmons performed very well in coverage and in run defense. Will Parks and Trey Marshall were used a lot as a partner with Simmons and combined had fewer interceptions and tackles than Simmons. It only seemed like Fangio was going to play Eddie Jackson primarily high when more was likely on the table.
Next. four positional battles to watch. dark
When you ask why is Eddie Jackson not playing deep all the time, ask yourself this. Should you limit a player to playing just one particular way when he is good at doing everything? Or should he roam around and be a nightmare for opposing defenses everywhere possible? One thing can be said for sure, don’t expect Eddie Jackson ever to become a one-dimensional player. Jackson should always be around the ball.