3 free agent safeties the Chicago Bears should target

The Chicago Bears should target Keanu Neal in free agency

The Bears are switching to a 4-3 defense, which means personnel could look a little different this coming season. With Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn likely headed for their hands in the dirt, the Bears are going to need to find some outside linebackers to go along with the void at safety.

One player who could fit either spot is veteran safety/linebacker Keanu Neal. This past season, Neal played mostly linebacker for a much-improved Dallas Cowboys defense. However, he has played safety in the past.

In fact, the first five seasons of his career were spent as a safety, including a Pro Bowl nod in 2017. The former first-round pick out of Florida has three seasons with 100 or more tackles in his career, and he’d likely have more had he not missed most of the 2018 and 2019 seasons with injuries.

Last year was a pivotal one for Neal, who managed to stay healthy and appear in 14 games with five starts, tallying 72 tackles overall and playing 61 percent of defensive snaps, with some appearance on special teams as well.

Neal is a versatile player who also isn’t afraid to make contact — which is something the Bears desperately need on defense.