Chicago Bears Top Positional Needs: Safety

The Chicago Bears are in an interesting position going into the NFL Draft this week at Roosevelt University. With new G.M. Ryan Pace at the helm, the team has addressed plenty of needs this offseason, but there is still plenty of work to do as the new leadership of the organization makes decisions about their collective future.

With that in mind, we are taking a look at some of the positions that the team has got to address in the draft, whether it be with the number seven overall pick or later in the selection process. These picks have the potential to either get Pace and company off on the right foot, or to potentially derail this rebuilding process before it begins.

Today, we take a look at a position that the Bears find themselves needing to upgrade for the future as we look at some of the safeties that could be on the team’s radar during the draft.

Players Available:

While edge rushers and wide receivers should be widely available in the first round, the safety position is one that has one surefire player that’s going to be taken in the top 32: Landon Collins out of Alabama. The junior strong safety has impressed with his play on the field and put up some sterling numbers in workouts, and with such a weak class at the position, it wouldn’t be shocking to see teams jockeying for position to take him.

If the Bears don’t end up pursuing Collins (which seems unlikely unless they are able to trade down from the seventh pick), there are still some potential gems available in the middle rounds. If they want to move Antrel Rolle to free safety in Vic Fangio’s offense, Northwestern product Ibraheim Campbell could potentially be a good selection. He does have some issues in pass coverage (his lateral speed has been questioned), but he is really good at diagnosing plays and could be a huge asset as a field general over the top.

If the Bears want to go free safety instead, there are a couple of good players to keep an eye on. Adrian Amos out of Penn State would likely be available at the Bears’ pick in the second round, and Cody Prewitt and Kurtis Drummond could both potentially be solid NFL players.

How Badly Do the Bears Need One?

This one is a seven out of 10 in our book. The Bears addressed the safety issue last season as they brought in MD Jennings and Ryan Mundy, but safety continued to be a huge issue throughout the season. Antrel Rolle will help out in that regard, but adding another young asset to the list certainly is something that Ryan Pace could be looking to do.

Fortunately for the Bears, they do have a bit of flexibility in terms of whether to add a free safety or a strong safety, so that definitely helps matters.

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