Thread: Bears Analysis; Safeties, Lovie's Revolving Door Position

No other position on the Bears has gone through more constant upheaval than at Safety. As this article points out Lovie has used 56 different combinations of FS and SS in his 8 years as the Bear HC. That's an average of 7 per year in a 16 games season so roughly half our games have seen different players at these two positions.

Where in the hell is our Gary Fencik and Dave Duerson combo? Why is that in 8 years of trying Lovie and Angelo couldn't come up with guys who could tie down the FS and SS starting spots for more than one year. That's right one f'n year. 2010 was the only year we started the same pair (Manning/Harris) every game and our pass defense against the long ball was terrific. So what do we do? Why fuck with success huh? Not the Bears. We let Manning go in FA offering only 60% of what we ended up paying that useless asshole Meriweather and Lovie cuts Harris (who makes half of what Meriweather gets) after a couple of bad games but we keep Meriweather. Just how screwed up is that?

Our current hopes rest on two 3rd round picks with only about 8 games experience playing with one another. Conte looks like the FS we been trying to find but Wright has been Mr. Inconsistent when he not sitting out because of an injury. Other than that we have a free agent who can play ST and tackle like a mad man but lacks in coverage ability and we don't what in the hell Walters can do but based on his coming in as an UDFA the answer is probably not much.

Meriweather needs airfare to some remote island in the Pacific so once again we're left having to look for safety help when we should be drafting some LB's and CB's to potentially replace some people a few years down the road. We'll probably ignore that until is becomes a "Chinese Fire Drill" when Urlacher retires. It's almost inconceivable to me how we could have gone through a couple of dozen Safeties or more since Lovie arrived and still not found anyone who can last more than a year or two. What a bunch of bullshit.

Well were pretty much forced to keep Steltz around and if we're smart we'll pay Graham more than just a ST guy gets and start using him as a DB. Give him a chance to earn a staring spot at CB or Safety. Right now he's proven himself to be the best backup DB we have and he wants to go to a team who'll give him a shot at starting. Why shouldn't that be us, or are we gonna be stupid about this and low ball him too like we did with Manning?

I can't wait for that new GM to arrive and put a stop to this craziness.

You know, I was really, REALLY, hoping that the Bears could avoid having to draft another safety. As it turns out, that was the weakest position in the entire secondary, and possibly the whole defense. Not only did our pass coverage on deep routes suffer because of the revolving door of safeties way out in center field, our rush defense suffered as well. Now, I know you will probably look at me like I'm a fucking lunatic (which I proudly claim to be) and ask me how giving up 96 yards per game on the ground is bad defense, but when you consider that we barely gave up over 90 yards per game in 2010 because of the stellar play of the safeties on rush defense as well as pass defense, it's tell to me that this last season saw a real decrescendo in the volume of what our defense could have, and should have, put up.

There was no excuse letting Danieal Manning go into free agency to the Houston Texans. That guy had Pro Bowler written all over him, and in fact, was so good in pass coverage that he didn't even allow a single touchdown be scored on his side of the field. I hope they don't make the same mistake with Corey Graham, too, soul, because the Bears would be totally fucked on more than just defense.

I also think getting rid of Chris Harris was a bad move for a number of reasons. One, he was a great player when he was healthy, as he was a second team All-Pro in 2010 at his position despite not being elected to the Pro Bowl. I have actually talked to him on Facebook on three or four occasions through messages, and he even read a blog entry I wrote regarding the GM position. While he didn't offer his two cents worth on the situation at Halas Hall, I think he might have subtly agreed with me in my assessments about Jerry Angelo. Harris was the leader of The 4th Phase on Facebook, to which I am subscribed, and he was a great ambassador for the organization. I know that it really bothered him when he was cut by Lovie after that bad game against the Lions. I found it difficult to comprehend that the Bears were willing to waive Harris over one lousy game while keeping a total buffoon like Brandon Meriweather. The move made little sense to me, and now his career, one year removed from being an All-Pro, is probably finished as the Lions, as far as I know, don't really use him that much.

Manning was a steal. Considering how much time was invested in Manning I can't believe he was let go. He has the utility of SS, NB, and KR. Compare the durability to Wright and it's not even a contest. Harris would have been a good back up had he just kept a cooler head. They need to re-sigh Graham and even Steltz for depth. A duo of Manning and Conte would have helped mitigate the CB problems. FA needs to be the path for a CB now though imo.

Originally Posted by short faced bear

Manning was a steal. Considering how much time was invested in Manning I can't believe he was let go. He has the utility of SS, NB, and KR. Compare the durability to Wright and it's not even a contest. Harris would have been a good back up had he just kept a cooler head. They need to re-sigh Graham and even Steltz for depth. A duo of Manning and Conte would have helped mitigate the CB problems. FA needs to be the path for a CB now though imo.

I think a lot of Chris Harris' issues were with his lower body injuries. The Bears were high on him in 2010 when he was healthy, but as soon as he had issues with the injury bug, they drop him like a bad habit. He was right; he pegged Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo right on the screws when he said that he was not in their long-term plans. He was only 29, yet the Bears discarded him like a soiled diaper. I guess that's the NFL for you - "Not For Long."

If Wright and Conte can play up to expectations and if we keep Steltz and Graham is given a shot at earning a starting spot somewhere we might just get away just picking up some depth at Safety in FA. I don't think we could find anyone MORE useless than Meriweather and I'm certain whoever he is he'd be much cheaper.

This is a very weak draft calls as far as Safeties go so getting an immediate help there isn't all that likely. If we're gonna spend a high draft choice on a DB it needs to be a CB. I just can't believe this habit of Lovies as far as leaving the cupboard bare again this year as far as Safeties are concerned. It's almost like he has a phobia about keeping them around for more than a year or two. Look how long Manning was in the doghouse and jacked around before he settled in at SS. We finally get the guy where we can depend on him then let him walk.

This is an issue I lay directly at Lovies feet. You can't possible go through all those guys over an 8 year period of time if you know what in the hell you're doing. In addition to my belief that he's one of the worst game day coaches in the game you can add this black mark too. This is one I won't hang on Angelo.

Originally Posted by lklrlolnlilklsox

We're in safety rich free agent class this year, not walking away with one of the top 4-5 would be a true failure on our new GM's behalf.

You may not have to look too far for a safety, sox. Corey Graham filled in admirably this year and may be a good answer at the position provided that the Bears do the smart thing by signing him to an extension.

Originally Posted by Dagan81

You may not have to look too far for a safety, sox. Corey Graham filled in admirably this year and may be a good answer at the position provided that the Bears do the smart thing by signing him to an extension.

While I think he has some of the tools to succeed there, he got a look in the past and failed. Add in the fact that guys like Landry, Branch, Goldson and Decoud are there to be had, I go for the safe pick considering safeties don't get much in the open market and solve the problem with a known quantity for once. Hell, Tanard Jackson and Reggie Nelson are safer bets.

Originally Posted by lklrlolnlilklsox

While I think he has some of the tools to succeed there, he got a look in the past and failed. Add in the fact that guys like Landry, Branch, Goldson and Decoud are there to be had, I go for the safe pick considering safeties don't get much in the open market and solve the problem with a known quantity for once. Hell, Tanard Jackson and Reggie Nelson are safer bets.

Would you possibly look at Graham as a corner? Somehow, there has got to be a place to fit him in the lineup that would best use his talents and still keep him in on ST. I want him back with the Bears in the worst way.