The Chicago Bears have a vacant starting safety spot to fill following the departure of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, and it could be the Bears’ newest strong safety Jordan Lucas.
Lucas will be competing for the starting strong safety job opposite veteran Deon Bush, who the Bears recently re-signed this offseason.
Here are four things to know about the Bears new strong safety:
1. Lucas won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs
Lucas, a former sixth-round pick by the Dolphins, was traded to the Chiefs in 2018, where he served as a strong safety and special teams gunner. But he was also part of a Chiefs team that won the Super Bowl in 2019.
Lucas is going from one Super Bowl-winning team to a team just fighting to make it back to the playoffs with the Bears.
But believe it or not, there’s actually no Matt Nagy connection. Nagy had left to coach the Bears the same year that Lucas was brought into Kansas City.
2. He’s a special teams ace
While Lucas was brought in to battle for the starting strong safety job opposite Pro Bowler Eddie Jackson, he’s also a valuable contributor on special teams.
Last season, Lucas was a key special teams player for the Chiefs, where he served primarily as a gunner. He played 63% of special teams snaps for Kansas City in 2019. The previous season, Lucas played 47% of those snaps.
Even is Lucas doesn’t wind up winning the starting strong safety job, he’ll provide depth at safety while also bring his expertise for Chris Tabor’s group.
3. Lucas will battle for strong safety job with Deon Bush
The Bears brought in Lucas to compete for the starting strong safety spot opposite Pro Bowler Eddie Jackson. Lucas was brought in just a couple days after Chicago re-signed safety Deon Bush.
Right now, Bush appears to have the advantage when it comes to landing the starting job opposite Jackson. But expect Lucas, who is on a one-year prove-it deal, to get a shot at the starting gig. Although, he might also be competing against a rookie, as the Bears are expected to draft a safety.
4. Lucas has a strong bond with his brother Brandon
While football is important to Lucas, there’s something that is more important: Family. Specifically, his little brother Brandon, who has autism. His brother doesn’t speak, but their bond is unbreakable.
Lucas has a tattoo of his brother Brandon’s name on his right forearm with the letters “MBK” just below that. My Brother’s Keeper. The tattoo continues down his arm as chain-links wrap around his wrist with a big padlock that forever links them.
“That’s an unbreakable lock,” Lucas said, via Centre Daily Times. “That’s a bond that me and him have. You can’t break that.”
