Bears Blitz

Published by Scott Ottersen on April 7, 2010
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

With news circulating that the Chicago Bears may try and trade up in the 2010 draft to sneak their way into the second round to obtain a safety, I started to wonder why.

Why for a safety?

The safety position is one of the easiest positions to find talent for these days. Maybe “talent” is the wrong word, so why don’t we just say it’s the easiest position to fill?

So many wide receivers, cornerbacks, and even linebackers have transitioned into the safety position that it almost seems as if it was made up after football was created for the players on the team who couldn’t catch, couldn’t cover wide receivers, and liked to roam around aimlessly at times.

I’m not saying that the Bears don’t need a safety, because everyone who pays attention to the NFL knows that is one of their biggest needs.

But why mortgage future draft picks to move up a single round to target a mid-level prospect, such as Nate Allen out of South Florida?  Chances are, they’d probably have to give up their third round pick to move up, along with whatever 2011 pick (probably a second rounder), when Allen is being taken in the third round on most mock draft boards.

If the Bears are somehow able to keep their third round pick and only give up a third round pick or later in 2011, I might come to agree with this decision, but I don’t believe in mortgaging early round draft picks to end up taking anything less than a highly-touted prospect. 

In this draft, Eric Berry and Taylor Mays are the only free safeties worth making such a move for.

If safety is the Bears’ main concern, why not just wait to see who comes their way at 75?  Safeties are never taken high in the draft, so there is a great chance that the man they want will fall to them at their first pick.

Now, I am sure that the Bears would never make a move before the day of the draft and without sniffing out a team picking their man before their turn comes, but even if they do catch wind of that happening, I would implore them not to do it.

Morgan Burnett out of Georgia Tech, Major Wright from Florida, Reshad Jones from Georgia, or Darrell Stuckey from Kansas are all viable safeties that would still be available if Nate Allen was snatched up before 75.

I would even go ahead and pass on the safety in the third round and wait until the fourth round, because they might be able to go after another need before they go ahead and shore up the safety spot, such as offensive lineman.

If the Bears are going to move up to the second round, I would hope they do it for reasons other than taking Allen. 

Maybe they could move up and draft Nate’s teammate, 6’3″ wide receiver Carlton Mitchell, who has sparked comparisons to Brandon Marshall, an ex-favorite of Jay Cutler.

Come on, Bears, make the right move here.

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