Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune answers your questions:
“Both safety positions have to be a top priority in the offseason surely. How have Chris Conte and Major Wright regressed so much this season? — @Vik469 from Twitter
“I would be very surprised if the safety positions were prioritized over the defensive line. If you want to talk about a “top” priority, you’ve got to start in the trenches. Neither player looks like they are playing with a high level of confidence this season. That is the first thing that strikes me. I’d expect the Bears to look for some help at this position but I don’t know if we’re going to see complete turnover. Conte remains under contract for 2014 and I expect him to return and, at the minimum, compete for a starting role.”
People who know me and read this blog know that I always agree totally with Biggs that the highest offseason priority should be solidity at the line of scrimmage.
I also agree that there probably won’t be major changes at safety. But I would definitely expect the Bears to bring in competition at the position. If nothing else, it might bring a little more focus to the play of the veterans there. Moreover, though I’m not a big fan of blaming coaches for player error, I think this is one area where the coaching staff does need to come under scrutiny. I would have thought that veteran defensive backs coach Jon Hoke along with former Bears safety Chris Harris would have had these guys on solid ground. But these players have looked poorly coached and haven’t been ready to play ball on occasion this season. I’m not suggesting immediate action. Hoke has a reasonably good history of solid coaching with the team to point to. But another year of this and I think a change has to be seriously considered.
This is a problem that needs to be solved. But like, like Biggs, I don’t think whole sale changes are called for yet.