The Chicago Bears still have considerable concerns in the secondary after slimming the roster down to 53 players over the weekend, and perhaps no position within the group is as precarious as safety.
Coby Bryant, the Bears’ biggest offseason splash after signing a three-year contract worth $40 million, suffered a knee injury during training camp that resulted in surgery and could keep him out for between four and six months, which might mean the entire regular season in a worst-case scenario.
Bryant will begin the year on the injured reserve list (IR), though the Bears have designated him as a player who may be able to come back to the active roster at some point.
The five safeties currently occupying an active roster spot include first-round rookie Dillon Thieneman and fellow presumptive starter Cam Lewis, a career reserve (76 games played, 14 starts) who moved over from the nickel cornerback spot after Bryant’s injury. Also in the group are Elijah Hicks, Xavier Woods and undrafted rookie Skyler Thomas.
Chicago doesn’t need another body to fill out the safety room, but an injection of talent and experience would prove valuable, as Thieneman, Thomas, Lewis and Hicks have 29 total starts between them and two have never seen a snap in a regular season NFL game as of September 1. Woods, a nine-year veteran, has started 121 contests in his career.
Taylor Rapp Could Make Sense as Depth, Talent Play for Bears
Given all that as context, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report contended on Monday, August 31 that Chicago is a top suitor for Taylor Rapp, most recently of the Denver Broncos.
“Safety Taylor Rapp signed with the Broncos in August and may not remain available for long,” Knox wrote. “Head coach Sean Payton told reporters that Rapp was stepping away to attend to a personal matter and is a strong candidate to re-sign in Denver.”
Rapp, who turns 29 years old in December, was a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. He spent four years in LA and won a Super Bowl ring there in 2021-22 before joining the Buffalo Bills for a three-year stint.
“If the Broncos aren’t quick to bring back Rapp, he would be a terrific addition to any defense lacking safety depth,” Knox continued. “He has made 72 starts while allowing an opposing passer rating of 91.0 in his career, and he has experience at both strong and free safety.”
Bears Also Battling Injury Concerns in Cornerback Room
The Bears also have questions at cornerback, with Kyler Gordon on the physically unable to perform [PUP] list to start the season, which means he will miss at least four games, and Jaylon Jones on season-ending IR.
Chicago cut former fifth-round pick Terell Smith over the weekend but added Clark Phillips III from the Atlanta Falcons via the trade of defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr.
The Bears carried five cornerbacks on the initial 53-man roster the team submitted to the league on Sunday, including Phillips, Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Malik Muhammad II and Josh Blackwell.
Bears Tagged as Suitors to Replace Coby Bryant With Ex-Broncos DB, 72-Game Starter