One final position to squeeze in for this series, and that's the secondary. I think this is an average group as a whole, but these guys will look as good as the defensive line lets them. If the D-Line is getting after the quarterback the DB's will have less time to cover or to settle in their zones, but if the D-Line is struggling all the warts will come out for those guys. There are eight corners and six safeties on the current roster, so some playbooks will need to be turned in.
I'll start with the corner's, and starters Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings are obvious locks. The more I watch Jennings the more I see how good a player he is for the Bears scheme. Nickleback D.J. Moore, special teams stud Corey Graham, and backup CB Zackary Bowman will also return. Undrafted rookies Antaries Bryan and Ryan Jones have no chance, but will both be practice squad candidates. Which leaves 2010 draft pick Joshua Moore on the bubble. My guess is since the Bears kept him around last year he'll have a good chance to do so again this year. He added some strength, but his roster spot could be claimed if the Bears decide to keep an extra player somewhere else.
And over at safety, Chris Harris and Major Wright make a solid starting tandem. Wright will have some growing pains at the free safety, and it'll be up to Harris to help his development on the field. Chris Conte has a spot locked up, besides being part of the '11 draft class, he's looked good this preseason and in camp. I think Craig Steltz has been around the ball a lot this preseason, so he looks safe too. Anthony Walters is on the outside looking in, the undrafted rookie free agent could return to the practice squad. And that leaves Winston Venable on the bubble. The coaches are high on his upside, and chicagobears.com even had a write up about the rookie free agent from Boise State.
The Bears could very well hold on to both Venable and Josh Moore as last year they kept 11 DB's on the opening day roster.