There is a newcomer to the mix at free safety and it would not be a surprise if he quickly becomes a favorite to lock down the job.
As Lovie Smith suggested at the end of the rookie minicamp earlier this month, Corey Graham will get a look at the position.
He has been lining up at free safety at the start of today's first OTA at Halas Hall. The move signals another significant development. It means the Bears have confidence that former Pro Bowl right cornerback Nathan Vasher will rebound to form or rookie fourth-round pick D.J. Moore will quickly be ready for the job.
Graham made nine starts at right cornerback last season after injuries derailed Vasher for a second consecutive season. Graham finished fifth on the team in tackles with 93, two ahead of left cornerback Charles Tillman, and had one interception and six pass deflections. The position has been under scrutiny all offseason as the Bears look to move forward from the Mike Brown era. The Bears drafted Oregon State's Al Afalava in the sixth round but most project him as a strong safety and that is where the Bears will start him. Asked specifically about free safety at the conclusion of the rookie minicamp, Smith rattled off the names of every safety on the roster. Then he said, "Look at other players. We have Corey Graham.''
"We have a lot of different options,'' Smith added. ``You can print [Tillman] is ruled out. But the rest of it, you know, it will work itself out. We're trying to get as many athletes as we can and give ourselves as many options as possible. We're going to be fine.''
Graham to safety is something the Bears experimented with briefly at the end of his rookie season in 2007 when injuries had wiped out the depth chart. He's been solid in run support as a cornerback and that is certainly a big responsibility at safety. What the Bears have really lacked for some time is a player with range and Graham would provide that. Also in the mix will be free-agent pickup Josh Bullocks. Even if Afalava is an option, his transition will have to wait for training camp. He will miss the bulk of OTA's because he is not allowed to show up until after Oregon State's graduation--June 13. The Bears will have four OTA dates between then and the conclusion of the voluntary offseason workout program June 18.
Angelo said they'd get the four best guys on the field. I'm glad they're leaving Manning in the Nickle. This also means that either Moore is THE MAN or Vasher is back...or both. Good news good news...More at the link
