3 free agent safeties connected to Chicago Bears new staff

2. What is Ryan Neal’s connection to Chicago Bears?

The Chicago Bears brought over a good amount of their defensive staff from the Indianapolis Colts, but they do have a strong connection to the Seattle Seahawks as well.

Andre Curtis was hired to be the Chicago Bears safety coach. He had previously been with the Seattle Seahawks since 2015. Ryan Neal has been with the Seattle Seahawks since 2019.

They signed him when he had little going for him and may have been quickly out of the NFL. Now, he is a legitimate NFL player with NFL starts over the past two years. Neal also contributed on special teams heavily during that span.

What made Ryan Neal such a valuable asset for the Seahawks was his versatility. He not only shifted between the box and deep, he moved into the slot when needed as well. That versatility was highlighted by Andre Curtis, and it could be what has Curtis telling the Chicago Bears front office to bring him in.

As noted, this could be an upgrade from DHC or Deon Bush at the least. There is also the chance that Ryan Neal could slot into a box starter next to Eddie Jackson, and that he finally breaks out when given a legitimate chance in Chicago.