Bear Digest

Safeties Who Could Have Bears' Interest at This Week's Senior Bowl

The Bears enter 2026 drastically in need of safety help because all of their top four on the 2025 roster are about to become free agents, and here's who they can see working at the Senior Bowl.
Gene Chamberlain|
TCU safety Bud Clark is one of the safeties working out in Mobile this week, and had 61 college games played in six years.
TCU safety Bud Clark is one of the safeties working out in Mobile this week, and had 61 college games played in six years. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

One primary issue facing Bears GM Ryan Poles coming out of their comeback season is settling the safety situation.

It's not every team that has an All-Pro and a complete demon of a defender in the season finale, and then, before they ever play again, must go without both of them as well as their backups.

This is what the Bears faced with Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker out of contract, as well as Jonathan Owens and Elijah Hicks. Byard led the NFL in interceptions, while no one has had a greater tackle total in this postseason than Brisker did with 14 against the Rams.

"We're going to take a step back and evaluate that and put that puzzle together,"  Poles said. "It's actually four safeties that are not under contract for next year. I have a lot of faith in our process that we'll do that."

With money and cap space an issue now for the Bears, it would seem unlikely all four would return.

Replacing at least one with a capable rookie, if not two of them, would be  possible in the draft.

This week's Senior Bowl practices and game will put only a few on display as most  of the better ones will not participate. Here's who they can see practicing and playing among safeties at Mobile, Ala.

Kamari Ramsey, USC

Graded as the fifth-best safety this year by ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, and a second-round pick on Mock Draft Data Base's big board, Ramsey is a good all-purpose safty at 5-11 1/2, 199 pounds. The UCLA crosstown transfer made two interceptions, 11 pass breakups, while getting in on 133 tackles.

"He needs to get a bit stronger as a tackler, but Ramsey has  outstanding instincts and always seems to be in the right place at the right time," wrote Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick in analyzing the safety class.

Zakee Wheatley, Penn State

Would the Bears replace Brisker, a Penn State product, with another Penn State safety? Wheatley was graded fifth-best safety in this draft by ESPN's draft analyst Stephen Muench and PFF's Trevor Sikkema places him seventh in this year's safety class. Mock Draft Data Base considers the 6-2 1/2, 201-pounder a pick worthy of the late second round.  With six interceptions and six pass breakups, he can fill either strong or free safety role the Bears have.

Bud Clark, TCU

A deep safety type at 6-1, 185, who is considered a well-tested, late fourth-rounder to early fifth by Mock Draft Data Base, he played for six seasons, piling up a whopping 61 games played and 15 interceptions, while breaking up 21 passes.

V.J. Payne, Kansas State

Appropriately named for a safety who hits, Payne is big at 6-3, 210 and can use his height well in the passing game with four interceptions, 10 pass breakups and four forced fumbles in his four seasons.

Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina

Considered a third-round talent on Mock Draft Data Base's big board, the 6-foot-3/4, 211-pounder can be in the box or back deep. He had eight interceptions, 15 pass breakups and  for only three seasons.

DeShon Singleton, Nebraska

Probably more of a strong safety type at 6-2 1/2, 212, he had three interceptions and eight pass breakups in four seasons and is considered a fifth-round type by Mock Draft Data Base

Michael Taffee, Texas

Considered the draft's 13th best safety according to Pro Football Focus, he is 5-11 1/2, 193 and Mock Draft Data Base has him rated as a fourth-round pick.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.