Secondary's Performance Underscores Harris' Importance......

**soulman** · 10-01-2011, 01:58 AM

Chris Harris’ importance to Bears underscored by secondary's performance.
SEAN JENSEN ON THE NFL

NFC scout says Bears safety Chris Harris is a leader who knows where everyone is supposed to line up.

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Updated: October 1, 2011 12:54AM

In April 2010, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo executed one of his best offseason moves by trading linebacker Jamar Williams to the Carolina Panthers for safety Chris Harris. Harris started all 16 games last season, intercepted a career-high five passes and was an All-Pro selection.

The Bears haven’t shown much interest in signing him to an extension, but they might want to reconsider, given how sorely they’ve missed him the last two games. Sidelined with an injured left hamstring, Harris has reinforced his importance to the Bears’ defense with his absence. And as dismal as their secondary has looked, imagine if the Bears hadn’t signed two-time Pro Bowl safety Brandon Meriweather.

‘‘Clearly, it would be naïve to think you can pluck a starter of that caliber out of the defense and say, ‘Oh, they’re fine,’ ’’ Fox analyst Brian Billick said. ‘‘In that defense, [the position is] huge. It’s instrumental.’’

An NFC scout said what the Bears miss most without Harris are his leadership and his ability to line everyone up. Given his experience in the scheme, Harris has a command of the defense, knowing where everyone is supposed to be and how the opponent will attack them.

While he’s not nearly the athlete Major Wright or Meriweather is, Harris makes up for that deficiency with his intelligence and instincts.

Arguably the biggest play the defense has given up this season emphasizes what Harris provides. In the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints, receiver Devery Henderson got a step on Wright and avoided rookie Chris Conte en route to a 79-yard touchdown. It’s understandable why Conte might not be ready to contribute because he was a third-round pick in April. But Wright, a third-round pick in 2010, was expected to be the clear-cut starter this season after the Bears opted not to re-sign Danieal Manning. Wright, though, appears to have trouble with recognition and still doesn’t look comfortable with the scheme.

Meriweather appears to be coming around, but the Bears are going to have to make some decisions. Meriweather and Harris have contracts that expire after this season. So while the Bears don’t like to invest in that position, they might not have another choice, unless they think Conte and Wright are locked in for the next couple of seasons.

On Wednesday, linebacker Lance Briggs said getting Harris back is ‘‘crucial. He’s a guy who helps us go. He’s a general back there.’’

But indications are that Harris might miss the game next Sunday against the Detroit Lions and possibly the one after that against the Minnesota Vikings.

**soulman** · 10-01-2011, 02:04 AM

This article real hits the nail on the head as to Harris' true value to the team in it's very first sentence.

We haven't had a QB of the secondary since Mike Brown left and Harris was traded following the Super Bowl year until we brought him back again. Both Major Wright and Chris Conte have a lot of potential but neither is an answer back there without Harris. I just hope they realize his value and don't do what they did with Kruetz and blow him off. Steltz is not better than a ST guy and it will take at least one more year before we could trust either one of the younger guys with that FS spot. Right now Meriweather is the only one who should be playing that spot.

**4th and 26** · 10-01-2011, 10:45 AM

We don't need harris because we have wright and Conte.

**soulman** · 10-01-2011, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by 4th and 26

We don't need harris because we have wright and Conte.

LOL, and that's the problem. Now we get to watch JA try to stiff Chris Harris in favor of youth. I really hope he pays some attention to exactly what's happening with Harris out. Right now it's about the same as it was some years back when we'd lose Mike Brown.

Don't get me wrong. I think Wrght and Conte both have talent but without Harris leadership they're lost back there. Fortunately all Harris is suffering from is a hammy which can be tricky but at least it's not a major injury that will keep him out all year. We hope.

Play Meriweather at FS and Wrght and Steltz at SS until Harris returns. There is no way either of those two should be saddled with deep coverage and for God's sake don't ever put Wright and Conte out there all by themselves again.

**motownbear** · 10-01-2011, 02:10 PM

It's risky investing big money at safety it's a very injury prone position.

**soulman** · 10-01-2011, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by motownbear

It's risky investing big money at safety it's a very injury prone position.

Check his stats mo. He's been pretty healthy for his entire career. Including this year he's only missed 6 starts out of 67 games. Harris is one of those guys who, unlike Mike Brown, hasn't been very injury prone. Hammy's can be tough to recover from though. I'd rather see him get healed than to risk injuring it more and lose him for the whole year.

http://www.nfl.com/player/chrisharris/2506516/profile

The guys deserves an extension. How can JA justify the $$$ he spends bringing in guys like Taylor, Manu, RWill, and Meriweather and then go cheap with his core guys? Safeties aren't all that highly paid to begin with. They have the 2nd lowest franchise cost of any player except for TE's and Specialists.

**motownbear** · 10-01-2011, 05:59 PM

he deserves one but price does matter. Our cap is too heavily weighted on defense. I say we can wait till the end of the season. Lets see if Wright shows any of the flashes we saw from him last year when he showed promise. If Meariweather pans out rather have him long term as well.

**soulman** · 10-01-2011, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by motownbear

he deserves one but price does matter. Our cap is too heavily weighted on defense. I say we can wait till the end of the season. Lets see if Wright shows any of the flashes we saw from him last year when he showed promise. If Meariweather pans out rather have him long term as well.

I'm fine with the waiting. He's not Peppers or Urlacher so he'll never get offered an extension while he's still injured. Still, he is as important to the secondary as Urlacher is to the LB's and Peppers to the Dline. Those three guys are the defensive leaders and if you take away any one of them his unit will suffer.

I think Meriweather is the kind of guy who'll break your heart. He'll lay some serious hits and maybe cause a turnover or two but then he'll get lost in coverage and give back in big plays what he gained in turnovers. Wright will be fine once he gets some confidence in his play but as it stands he depends an awful lot on the direction and support he gets from Harris. The flashed he showed last year always came when he had a vet playing with him.

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