Same Story, Different Year: Mike Brown Looking for a Home, Bears Still Looking for His Replacement

by Dane Noble on Apr 10, 2010 8:51 AM CDT in News

Last offseason, we pondered who would fill Mike Brown's shoes after his departure from the Bears. Brown found a home in Kansas City, and the Bears continued their musical chairs act in the defensive backfield.

Just over a year later, Brown is again looking for a home, and the Bears are still looking for his replacement. Per this article, Brown visited Arizona on Friday, but is likely not going to find a match there.

Unfortunately for Brown, Arizona may not be the best fit considering the Cardinals have Adrian Wilson, Kerry Rhodes and Matt Ware on the roster, but the former second-round pick out of Nebraska proved he could still play last season.

Brown, who originally hails from Scottsdale, Ariz., had 103 tackles and three interceptions for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009, participating in all 16 regular season games for the first time since 2003.

Brad Biggs documented a while back the history under Lovie Smith at the Safety position.

The Bears have changed starting safeties 41 times since Lovie Smith arrived in 2004, with a near-even split between the two positions.

Twenty-one times the starting free safety has changed from one game to the next, and 20 times the starting strong safety has changed. You can't get that kind of near symmetry unless you are trying or something has gone wrong, very wrong.

Smith cites injuries and the difficulty of keeping players healthy at the position for much of the turnover. He has a point: A good portion of the change occurred when the Bears were forced to go to Plan B after Mike Brown was injured through the latter half of his career with the organization.

But Brown was only one man and with him gone this past season, the Bears still changed starting free safeties four times and starting strong safeties five times.

Dizzy yet?

As we move closer to the start of the 2010 NFL season, I wonder how things will turn out for Brown, and also if we will be any closer to filling the void he left here in Chicago. We've heard folks mumbling about the possibility of moving up in the draft to try and snag a second rounder, and with Jerry Angelo at the helm, we never really know what to expect.

One thing we do know though: Lovie Smith is willing to try anything to get the Safety position figured out.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

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Comments

Bring him back!

He was injury free last year, and no way he’s not an upgrade at safety. He was always a huge emotional leader on this team.

Give him a 1 year or something and pick a safety in the draft to learn behind him for that year.

by Virto on Apr 10, 2010 10:23 AM CDT reply actions

Sounds good to me.

Can we really draft anyone that would be better this year?

Wade 2010!!!!!

by illwill on Apr 10, 2010 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions

You don't think there is a better Safety

in the 2nd or 3rd round of the draft than Mike Brown?

by Dane Noble on Apr 10, 2010 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions

They'll probably be able to pick up someone better in the 3rd

Or at least younger and healthier. Brown was a great warrior, but he’s got too much mileage on him. He was never really a free safety, anyway. Wasn’t Brown more of a strong safety? Needless to say, we’ve got too many “in the box” safeties as it is. We don’t need another liability in coverage, we need a ball-hawk who’s got the range to cover the field and break up plays.

by JimmyMack on Apr 10, 2010 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions

might not be better than Brown...

but we definitely need someone lower mileage..we cant rest all of our hopes on the man who blew up some body part on us multiple times and left us with a huge gap at FS..only difference then is we had to pay him to sit on our bench :P

by Pretender85 on Apr 10, 2010 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions

last i heard

Jimmy is right – Brown was better suited to SS. We need a true FS.

"Do or do not... there is no try." - Yoda

by Maelvampyre on Apr 11, 2010 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions

He was a good safety.

But that was back before his injuries.

by chiguy8506 on Apr 11, 2010 5:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Not no

but hell no.

You can't see California without Marlon Brando's eyes.

by ifuwannacrownem on Apr 10, 2010 7:57 PM CDT up reply actions

No, no , and NO

I loved the guy when he was here and was our leader of the D but..the guy just can’t cover anymore and we need a ball hawking safety. I would rather see Payne out there than bringing back Brown. Thanks for the memories but let’s keep them memories. This isn’t 2003 anymore..

" We get off the bus running! What do you mean we are a passing team? you don't agree with how I do things? You're fired!"
- Lovie Smith-

by tfrabotta on Apr 12, 2010 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions

I wouldn't be opposed to this

if they sign him for practically peanuts; not the minimum, but maybe a 1 year deal for $1 million. He could compete at SS with Manning and Payne.

''I'm really not a Facebook or Twitter guy. I'm a prime rib and baked potato guy.'' - Sweet Lou

by propheteer on Apr 10, 2010 10:34 AM CDT reply actions

Don't forget Afalava

And Steltz is more of an SS, too. I guess they’re listing him as a FS, but I don’t really buy that. We’ve got a log-jam at SS, as it is…

by JimmyMack on Apr 10, 2010 12:18 PM CDT up reply actions

I might be wrong on this

but with the uncapped year, there isn’t a minimum. Perhaps they could literally give him peanuts. I bet he likes honeyroasted.

I'm a firm believer in the philosophy of a ruling class. Especially since I rule. -Randal Graves

Writer at windycitygridiron.com -/-I http://www.twitter.com/kdoggers

by Kev H on Apr 10, 2010 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions

I think it would be a good signing

Bring him back but draft anthor guy in the draft so he can learn off brown.

by tazz34 on Apr 10, 2010 10:56 AM CDT reply actions

He's such a great leader

Having him back could only help

by tommite622 on Apr 10, 2010 11:20 AM CDT reply actions

We'll bring him back and .....

…….. he’ll be injured by game two .

by MidWayMonster54 on Apr 10, 2010 11:54 AM CDT reply actions

C'mon

If anyone deserves a shot it’s Mike Brown. If not then who else is out there. Just imagine if he did stay healthy, you talk about a Cinderella Story.

by Big Ike on Apr 10, 2010 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Thats the point , I really ....

….. can’t see him staying healthy two season in a row .

by MidWayMonster54 on Apr 10, 2010 12:04 PM CDT up reply actions

hmmm.

With such a decent/good stats why did KC released him in the first place?

by Man G on Apr 10, 2010 12:07 PM CDT reply actions

Probably because at this point in his career, he's basically a liability in coverage

He plays with a lot of heart and he’s a great leader, but I think physically, he’s just nowhere near the level he was at 5 years ago – before the torn ACL, etc. Plus everyone knows his injury history, and the odds of him staying healthy 2 years in a row (historically) have got to be pretty slim.

by JimmyMack on Apr 10, 2010 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Honestly at this point in his career .....

….. the only reason to sign him is for him to retire a Bear .

by MidWayMonster54 on Apr 10, 2010 12:38 PM CDT reply actions

We got lucky with Brown

ad the team has been neglected the safety position(s) ever since. Peppers is great but it does signal a double down on JAs emphasis on the DLine, to the detriment of the secondary. I suppose 54 and 55 provide a similar luxury.

Using our 3rd rounder on a secondary player is what I think we need to do. It will be the most significant investment (compared to the usual 5th and 6th rounders) in the unit for a long time. Especially considering the use of early round picks on DL in the past.

Brown’s injuries and absence have been partially responsible for the teams decline. Mainly managements inability to address his absence with safety by 5th round platoon (possibly my new nickname for our secondary). There is one FS i really want… but there are a bunch of guys that may be avail. to us in the 3rd. Major Wright is definitely a guy who could play for us as is justin woodall.

by No It All on Apr 10, 2010 1:07 PM CDT reply actions

Having a quality FS

Is so key to our defense, and since he left, our passing defense has been sinking. Not wholly from him leaving by his departure sure began something.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Apr 14, 2010 6:21 PM CDT up reply actions

This is WAY off topic,

but BEST show-and-tell EVER…
Link

"A lot of fans were drawn to me because they knew that whatever the score was, I was going to run as hard as I could on every play. You don't have that now, you have guys waiting for next week or even next year." - Walter Payton

by Ashley Czuba on Apr 10, 2010 1:59 PM CDT reply actions

Its worth a fanshot or part of the Den

''I'm really not a Facebook or Twitter guy. I'm a prime rib and baked potato guy.'' - Sweet Lou

by propheteer on Apr 10, 2010 9:41 PM CDT up reply actions

I have a feeling

Nothing more than that, just a hunch that Lovie will push hard for JA to jump up to the second round to snag Allen from USF. I think JA will do it. I don’t know what the price will be I just think it will happen. Lovie was too involved in scouting that guy for them to sit by idly while he’s drafted 35 spots before the Bears are on the clock.

"Dick Butkus once tackled the Packers."
"Dick Butkus played all 11 defensive positions...at the same time."
"Dick Butkus once sacked a quarterback simply by looking at him."

by Sam Householder on Apr 10, 2010 10:17 PM CDT reply actions

get over him

he doesn’t love you.

by mike b on Apr 10, 2010 11:58 PM CDT reply actions

please god....

I say this every time I post! LOL… He knows the system and can help get people in the right alignment! RESIGN BROWN!

GO BEARS!!!!

by ChiTownSounds on Apr 11, 2010 1:29 AM CDT reply actions

No doubt

He’s like a coach on the field. But, if we did sign/start him, we still need a true free safety, because his best fit is on the “strong” side… Nice pic, by the way. Where was that taken?

by JimmyMack on Apr 11, 2010 5:53 PM CDT up reply actions

Training camp....

the year after the SB! I felt like a BIG KID!!! LOL

GO BEARS!!!!

by ChiTownSounds on Apr 12, 2010 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions

It disturbs me that posters are saying only sign Mike Brown if we can screw him on salary.

The guy was a monster at the safety position until he got injured and never was able to get the opportunity to sign a big contract. I don’t say overpay him, but after the Bears have overpaid so many bums on their roster it’d be a good thing to bring Mike back on board, if for no other reason than he gives you all he has on every play. The intangibles of knowing where he and all the other players on defense need to be is worth much more in the long run than a young safety who has the speed but doesn’t remember where he’s supposed to be in certain formations. Besides, if our pass rush is as improved as we hope it to be, a number of coverage deficiencies will be hidden.

by BigGeorgeTX on Apr 12, 2010 8:13 AM CDT reply actions

Along with Urlacher

He was the leader of our defense and his knowledge would be a big boost to a defense that lacks leadership right now.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Apr 12, 2010 8:11 PM CDT up reply actions

How does the defense lack leadership?

by Dane Noble on Apr 13, 2010 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions

Besides Urlacher

There are no real locker room leaders on this defense. Last season, Urlacher and Ogunleye were the defensive captains, Ogunleye is now gone. From 2006 to 2008, Mike Brown was on that list, now he’s gone. This defense is losing experienced leaders left and right. Players like Peppers are great players but aren’t someone you look to for advice. Players like Briggs are become players to follow, but isn’t there yet.

Here have a link:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2010/04/will_browns_departure_create_l.html

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Apr 13, 2010 10:59 AM CDT up reply actions

Urlacher will bring leadership

And I think it’s a good opportunity for some other vets to step up and take on more leadership responsibility. Tillman, Izzy, and hopefully Briggs

"When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." ~ Dick Butkus

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Apr 13, 2010 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions

His best football is behind him

If he can’t find a job as a player, I hope the Bears bring him in as an assistant coach in some capacity, if he’s looking to coach that is

"When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." ~ Dick Butkus

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Apr 12, 2010 10:11 AM CDT reply actions

He will be here working for Rivera next year when Lovie is gone...

" We get off the bus running! What do you mean we are a passing team? you don't agree with how I do things? You're fired!"
- Lovie Smith-

by tfrabotta on Apr 12, 2010 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions

I would love to see Mike Brown comeback as a Strong Safety

by Dominique Blanton on Apr 12, 2010 5:56 PM CDT reply actions

With most of our defensive leaders gone

We could use his experience on the field. While i’m not sure about bring him back, since he left our defense hasn’t been the same.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Apr 12, 2010 8:10 PM CDT reply actions

mike who???

mike who??? he’s gone never showed up was a waist. hell mark carrier who sucked was better than he is

by keiths69 on Apr 13, 2010 5:16 AM CDT reply actions

Welcome to WCG.

We are glad you took time from your Yahoo threads to join us.

by Dane Noble on Apr 13, 2010 10:07 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Haha

Reading my mind.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Apr 13, 2010 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions

haha!

"When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." ~ Dick Butkus

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Apr 13, 2010 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions