Bear Digest

Bears urged to sign veteran AFC safety before start of 2025 NFL season

The Chicago Bears could look for more depth at safety before the start of the 2025 season, and one veteran who'd make sense has been linked to the team.
Bryan Perez|
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Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears' secondary has a chance to be one of the NFL's best in 2025. Their trio of cornerbacks -- Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Kyler Gordon -- is as talented as any defense's, and safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard II have a chance to emerge as a fantastic duo this year.

The key for Brisker, however, is availability. He was limited to just five games last season due to severe concussion symptoms, an injury that, for a player as physical as he is, presents a very real threat to his football career.

As a result, the Bears and GM Ryan Poles must take a responsible approach to the depth chart and make sure there's a viable backup in place who has starting experience and can step in in the event of a worst-case scenario with Brisker.

Fortunately for Chicago, there's a veteran safety who fits that criteria who remains unsigned and was recently linked to the Bears in a new projection from Heavy.com: Julian Blackmon.

The Colts moved on from Blackmon in favor of Camryn Bynum, leaving the 62-start veteran searching for a new home. It's late -- really late -- in the calendar to secure a big-money contract, which is likely what's creating this delay in Blackmon landing a deal. Spotrac has his projected market value at $8 million per season. There's no chance he's getting that kind of money now; he's headed for a one-year, prove-it deal reality.

READ: ESPN predicts Bears will replace D'Andre Swift with 1,100-yard running back

And that's why the Bears would make so much sense. Blackmon would join a safety room with Brisker and Bynum, both of whom are also on expiring contracts. All three would be jockeying for a sizable next deal in Chicago, and with Byard's advanced age and Brisker's injury concerns, Blackmon would have a very real chance to emerge by the end of the season as the one safety who returns to the Bears in 2026.

"In a free agent market that often rewards big names and big price tags, the smartest teams find value in players like Blackmon," Heavy.com's Isaac Zuniga wrote. "For Chicago, signing him wouldn’t just be a bargain; it’s an opportunity to take another meaningful step towards becoming Super Bowl contenders."

While I wouldn't go as far as to say adding Blackmon puts the Bears one step closer to Super Bowl contenders, it certainly would put them one step closer to an injury-protected roster with top-shelf depth and a secondary that can compete against any passing offense in the NFL.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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