NEWSLETTER
Injuries have complicated the Chicago Bears’ cornerback competition.
Artie Burns suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season. A shoulder injury has limited Jaylon Johnson’s rookie development. And before camp even started, an injury led the Bears to part ways with Tre Roberson. Chicago still has depth at the position. However, it hasn’t been tested at the NFL level. This could lead the team to search for a solution outside of the box:
Bears secondary coach Deshea Townsend said Buster Skrine is able to play both inside and outside after the injury to Artie Burns.
Townsend said: "Buster is a true defensive back."
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) August 19, 2020
Judging by Secondary Coach Deshea Townsend’s words, Buster Skrine is a candidate to play outside at cornerback. And while that might not be appealing to some, moving Skrine outside as a patch-work move for the time being isn’t the worst idea. Skrine is physical, has some ball skills, and previously played the position with both the Browns and Jets before settling into his role in the slot. Heck, it’s worth pointing out that Skrine played 15 snaps as an outside cornerback last year. So it’s not as if the position is completely foreign to him.
One catch in this might be that this could create a hole in the slot, where Skrine operated well last season. But it the Bears seem prepared to fill that void if it comes to it. Second-year player Duke Shelley and rookie Kindle Vildor project to be slot corners. Neither has ideal size for the outside gig, but both have short-area quickness that could thrive in the slot. The Bears have had good fortune in finding diamonds in the rough who excel in the slot. Look no further than Bryce Callahan and Cre’Von LeBlanc for success stories.
In any case, Skrine makes sense as a short-term option at outside cornerback if (1) the Bears continue to slow-play Johnson’s development and (2) if Kevin Toliver II doesn’t impress the defensive staff. It’s good to have options. But it would be better to have solutions by the time Week 1 rolls around. Because the idea of lining up a question-mark opposite of Kenny Golladay or Marvin Jones Jr. gives me the heebie-jeebies.
