Chicago Bears Keep Ignoring This Vital Key To Great Defense

All Chicago Bears fans are united in one thing. They desperately want to avoid seeing another 3-13 debacle like they did this 2016 season. Some are even willing to settle for 8-8 or even 7-9 next year. Where the disagreements have begun to show among them is in how the team is going to go about ensuring such an improvement. Some believe the team sorely needs to find a quarterback what with Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley providing few answers. While others would prefer a return to the classic Bears style of winning:  run the ball and play great defense. With Jordan Howard in place the team already has one part of the formula. Now they just need to get the defense up to snuff. The problem is the franchise continues to make a consistent mistake in their methods to rebuild the once proud unit. A mistake that has become magnified over the past seven years. The time has come for it to be corrected.

RIM PROTECTORS

Anytime the conversation starts for the Bears and the topic is great defensive history, things inevitably focus on two position groups. The defensive line and the linebackers. Always guys like Dick Butkus, Dan Hampton, Doug Atkins, Brian Urlacher and others are referenced. Not nearly often enough have people appreciated the vital role played by safeties in the history of greatest Chicago defenses. Don't believe it? Here is a breakdown of each of the top defenses the Bears have had in every decade dating back to the 1960s. One thing they all have in common? That's right. A Pro Bowl safety on the back end.

• 2005:  Mike Brown
• 1993:  Mark Carrier
• 1985:  Dave Duerson
• 1979:  Gary Fencik
• 1963:  Richie Petitbon

[video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2-Mike-Browns-Back-to-Back-Game-Winning-OT-Pick-Sixes-Top-10-Overtime-Finishes-of-All-Time.mp4"][/video] It's not an isolated incident. Nor is it an accident either. It turns out that of those five safeties referenced above, three of them were taken in the second round or higher during the NFL draft. Fencik was a late round pick who got cut by Miami and Duerson was a third rounder by Chicago. Here is a breakdown of every safety the Bears have selected since Brown and what round they went in.

• Bobby Gray:  5th round - 2001
• Todd Johnson:  4th round - 2003
• Chris Harris:  6th round - 2005
• Danieal Manning:  2nd round - 2006
• Kevin Payne:  5th round - 2007
• Craig Steltz:  4th round - 2008
• Al Afalava:  6th round - 2009
• Major Wright:  3rd round - 2010
• Chris Conte:  3rd round - 2011
• Brandon Hardin:  3rd round - 2012
• Brock Vereen:  4th round - 2014
• Adrian Amos:  5th round - 2015
• Deon Bush:  4th round - 2016
• DeAndre Houston-Carson:  6th round - 2016

CHANGING THE SCRIPT

Just one pick in the second round or higher in the past 15 years. Keep in mind Brown was gone by 2009, so the Bears haven't invested a high choice for seven years even though they no longer have the excuse of employing a good one. Is it also any coincidence that the franchise had their two most successful postseason runs in 2006 and 2010 when Manning was a contributor on the roster? The point is every time Chicago has shown a willingness to invest in the safety position, the defense has benefited. There is lots of talk about whether the team will take a quarterback in the upcoming draft at #3 overall. That's unclear. What is clear is this 2017 class may be the strongest safety crop seen in a long time. Two players alone are considered top 10 locks, which is exceedingly rare. If ever the Bears were going to give their defense the face lift it needs at such a critical position, this is probably the best opportunity they're going to get.