Thread: Bears Secondary a Concern...........

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The press interviews the newest Bear, Brandon Meriweather.

Ex-Patriot Meriweather gets clean slate with Bears

He could quickly challenge for Wright's free safety job

By Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune reporter 8:10 p.m. CDT, September 5, 2011


Brandon Meriweather is more concerned about ensuring his time with the Bears gets off to a good start than worrying about where his career went wrong with the Patriots.

That's a good thing, but the Bears have to hope he learns how a promising young career got off the tracks with one of the league's elite franchises. Questions surround work ethic and discipline, but the Bears maintain the policy they have for all newcomers — Meriweather has a clean slate.

Still, it's difficult to explain how a 27-year-old who has been to the last two Pro Bowls, even if he did make it as an alternate, wound up on top of the NFL's discard pile. The Patriots ranked 30th in the NFL in pass defense a year ago, a struggle that had a lot to do with a mediocre pass rush.

Was he surprised to be among New England's final cuts Saturday?

"Um, this is a business," Meriweather said Monday afternoon at his new locker in Halas Hall after signing a one-year contract. "Nothing surprises me anymore."

The Patriots were due to pay Meriweather $1.65 million this season and it's unlikely the Bears will be approaching that figure. Meriweather declined to say what coach Bill Belichick told him when he was cut loose.

"I'm sure if you call Bill and ask him he will give you all you need to know," he joked.

In all seriousness, the Bears have to hope Belichick committed a rare personnel blunder. It's interesting that the Patriots may not have attempted to trade a safety that has 12 interceptions over the last three seasons.

"I don't see what Belichick has to do with us," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "We make our decisions based on what we see. We like Brandon being a part of our team."

Meriweather is in the mix immediately and could quickly challenge for Major Wright's free safety job. The coaching staff wasn't shy using Wright in the season opener last year after he missed much of training camp and the final three exhibition games with an injury.

"Can't take offense because I can't control it," Wright said. "I can control me getting better every day. When I was drafted here, there was competition. Now, there's just more."

Meriweather didn't make any predictions about being in the starting lineup or how long it will take to learn the new scheme. He probably doesn't know the Bears changed starting safeties 41 times in Smith's first 96 games as coach, a sign that the next move could be right around the corner even if Chris Harris and Danieal Manning both started 16 games in 2010.

"I expect to come in and do whatever the coach asks me to," Meriweather said. "If he comes in and asks me to play all special teams, I expect to do that. I want to come in and contribute anyway I can."

Smith seems to believe Meriweather will be ready quickly.

"Once you kind of get by some of the different terminology, most coverages are pretty much the same," he said. "Most defenses are pretty much gap control. When the ball's in the air, you go get it. When a guy's running with the ball, you go tackle him. There will be some challenges, but when you have a veteran they normally pick it up pretty quick."

There's plenty to like about the new guy for Smith too.

"He can hit. He's got excellent ball skills, can change directions, all the things we're looking for in a defensive back," Smith said. "He's got a good pedigree too."

bmbiggs@tribune.com

Twitter @BradBiggs

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Bears' Harris welcomes Meriweather's arrival



Bears safety Chris Harris likes having competition at his position. (US Presswire Photo)

By Vaughn McClure Tribune Reporter 1:55 p.m. CDT, September 5, 2011


Veteran safety Chris Harris stared at two possible distractions as he walked into the Bears locker room Monday.


First, the Bears signed safety Brandon Meriweather after Meriweather was cut by the Patriots. As a Pro Bowl selection the last two seasons, Meriweather is unlikely to sit the bench.That likely means less time for Major Wright, although Meriweather could take some snaps away from Harris, depending on how the coaches evaluate the situation.

"It always shakes things up,’’ Harris said of adding a proven player. "Competition keeps players on their toes. If you don’t have competition, human nature can make you sit back and become lethargic.’’

Harris actually welcomed Meriweather to the squad.

"I think it’s cool. He’s a certified playmaker,’’ Harris said. "He’s got 12 interceptions in the past three years. It helps our secondary, to be honest with you. He’s a guy that definitely can play. ‘’

The other obstacle Harris brushed off was the trade request recently made by friend and teammate Lance Briggs. The six-time Pro Bowler Briggs approached the Bears about raise and got denied, leading to the trade request.

"It’s no type of distraction at all,’’ Harris said. "Everybody’s got to do what they’ve got to do, and he’s no different. It’s no distraction for anybody in this locker room.

"I definitely understand where he’s coming from. He feels he needs to get paid more, so he said something about it. I support my teammate. I’m behind him.’’

• vxmcclure@tribune.com
  
  twitter@vxmcclure23

Assuming his problems in NE stay in NE there's no question that Meriweather adds some nice depth at Safety. With Wright still learning, Conte a rookie with only one year college experience at the position, and Steltz with his feet of concrete I think we were all a little nervous about the Safety spot opposite Harris. Meriweather is a nice upgrade and with only a one year deal he should be very motivated to play well.

What concerns me is that we only have 4 CB's on the roster and none of them are all-pro type players. Granted "Peanut" is a pretty good players in this defense but he's 30 years old now and one injury away from having Corey Graham take over for him. After Peanut we have two midgets staring at LCB and NB who, while talented, can be victimized by taller receivers just because they are midgets. Backing these two is a much taller Zack Bowman who still can't win a starting job after three years of trying. This is not the most comforting group I've ever seen.

With any luck all those DT's and DE's we've added will create so much havoc on passing downs that the challenges the secondary faces won't be too insurmountable. They're gonna get tested often during those first three games.

Bowman hasn't bounced back. Josh Moore was cut, JA still has $ and it is very perplexing why considering our schedule of who we face offensively why there wasn't a vet CB signed in FA.

JA not addressing CB,OL,and WR was dumb period

So glad someone else is finally noticing that we are weak (at best) at corner. I've been upset about it all summer.

Lito Sheppard was available last I saw. Not that he is that great, but he is better than some of the guys we have on the roster.

Oh, and I still suspect we will sign Josh Moore to the PS.

Originally Posted by BearStuff

So glad someone else is finally noticing that we are weak (at best) at corner. I've been upset about it all summer.

Lito Sheppard was available last I saw. Not that he is that great, but he is better than some of the guys we have on the roster.

Oh, and I still suspect we will sign Josh Moore to the PS.

Yeah, we are weak at corner other than Tillman, but strong at safety. Really, I think only Jennings is the weak link. Other than that, we are good. I would have liked to have seen a pickup at corner, but I don't think it's going to be that big of a deal. You cant be strong everywhere.

Originally Posted by blinddeafmute

Yeah, we are weak at corner other than Tillman, but strong at safety. Really, I think only Jennings is the weak link. Other than that, we are good. I would have liked to have seen a pickup at corner, but I don't think it's going to be that big of a deal. You cant be strong everywhere.

Not strong everywhere but the corners must hold vs Atl, GB, N.O, and S.D. Jennings is undersized and Tillman is brittle. Fortifying the position was a no brainer yet nothing.

Originally Posted by short faced bear

Not strong everywhere but the corners must hold vs Atl, GB, N.O, and S.D. Jennings is undersized and Tillman is brittle. Fortifying the position was a no brainer yet nothing.

True, but they also had to address many other positions. Every team has weaknesses.

Well the bottom line is the money was there, players were available and the secondary is one injury or one loss of confidence from being sub-par. The only positions they really addressed was DL and threw a bone to Rwill.