With the departure of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the Chicago Bears have a starting safety spot up for grabs opposite Pro Bowler Eddie Jackson.
Right now, Deon Bush, Jordan Lucas and DeAndre Houston-Carson figure to battle it out for the starting strong safety spot, presumably alongside a rookie.
Many draft analysts have the Bears targeting a safety with one of their two second-round picks, and in a weak safety class, Chicago needs to strike early to nab a quality starting strong safety.
Let’s take a look at five safeties the Bears could target in the NFL Draft:
1. Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois
Chinn’s athleticism, size and speed make him an intriguing prospect, and he proved to a defensive playmaker for Southern Illinois. Chinn’s stock has been on the rise since his impressive outing at the Senior Bowl, and he’s now projected to be a Day 2 pick. Chinn has made it clear that he’d love to play for the Bears, and they appear to feel the same, as they’ve met with him twice during the pre-draft process.
2. Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
Dugger appears to have it all — a versatile, speedy athlete with explosiveness and production to back it up. And that’s something that the Bears would love opposite ballhawk Eddie Jackson in the secondary. Like Chinn, Dugger’s stock rose following an impressive Senior Bowl performance. Many analysts believe Dugger, who hails from a small-school, is an elite athlete that projects as a starting strong safety and solid special teamer.
3. Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota
Winfield is one of the most versatile defensive backs in this draft class, capable of both covering receivers and tackling running backs. While he played mostly at the free safety spot during his collegiate career, which Eddie Jackson is expected to return to this season, Winfield has experience playing multiple positions. He’s certainly caught the eye of the Bears, who recently held a pre-draft meeting with the reigning Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year.
4. Ashtyn Davis, California
Considering the physical gifts that Davis possesses, it’s hard to believe that he was a walk-on in Cal’s football program. Since joining the team in his freshman year, Davis has flourished and shows promise at the next level, including at strong safety. In 2019, Davis had 57 tackles, two interceptions, four pass breakups, six passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Davis is a versatile player that has the speed, athleticism and ball skills that teams look for in a safety.
5. Terrell Burgess, Utah
Burgess is a cornerback-turned-safety that’s one of the top prospects in this year’s safety class. That versatility in the slot and at strong safety is something that should garner Chicago’s attention. While Burgess is undersized and has only one season of starting experience at Utah, he’s a proven playmaker that’s a great man cover player. Burgess projects to be a solid strong safety in the NFL, and he’d be a great fit opposite Eddie Jackson, who will return to free safety this season.
