Conventional wisdom amongst NFL draftniks is that the Chicago Bears will likely look to upgrade at wide receiver or offensive line, two position groups that many have felt have been lacking in the Windy City for a few years running. But drafts rarely shake out how everyone thinks, and sometimes teams have their hands forced or just target another area all together.
With that in mind, in his most recent SB Nation 2012 NFL mock draft, Ryan Van Bibber has the Bears addressing their secondary by picking Alabama Crimson Tide safety Mark Barron. The Bears are set at free safety with the young Major Wright, but the Brandon Meriweather experiment at strong safety was a bust, and the Bears certainly could use a long term replacement there. Here's Van Bibber on his projection:
19. Chicago Bears, Mark Barron, SS, Alabama
Barron's double hernia surgery could hurt his draft stock. Rob Rang at CBSSports.com cited one NFL talent man who believed that the injury will not hurt Barron's stock. Chicago could use a hard hitting safety in their secondary. Receivers have been the pick here, but none of the remaining receivers really match up with this draft slot.
For more NFL news and notes, head over to SB Nation Pro Football, and stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more Bears updates and analysis. For more in-depth analysis of the Bears, visit Windy City Gridiron. Check out Mocking The Draft's prospect rankings for a look at the bigger NFL draft picture.
With that in mind, in his most recent SB Nation 2012 NFL mock draft, Ryan Van Bibber has the Bears addressing their secondary by picking Alabama Crimson Tide safety Mark Barron. The Bears are set at free safety with the young Major Wright, but the Brandon Meriweather experiment at strong safety was a bust, and the Bears certainly could use a long term replacement there. Here's Van Bibber on his projection:
For more NFL news and notes, head over to SB Nation Pro Football, and stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more Bears updates and analysis. For more in-depth analysis of the Bears, visit Windy City Gridiron. Check out Mocking The Draft's prospect rankings for a look at the bigger NFL draft picture.