It’s next man up at safety
Rookie Jones-Quartey might give Bears all-rookie starting duo
While sitting in the locker room last Sunday at Soldier Field after playing the second half at safety against the Oakland Raiders, Bears rookie Harold Jones-Quartey was asked where he had been one year earlier. He knew precisely. ‘‘The University of Findlay,’’ he said, ‘‘playing Ferris State.’’
Replacing Antrel Rolle was different from playing in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game in front of 3,240 fans in Big Rapids, Michigan.
Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio confirmed as much when he was asked to evaluate Jones-Quartey last week.
‘‘He needs more practice,’’ Fangio said.
Ready or not, the Bears need Jones-Quartey— and others— to replace Rolle, who is listed as doubtful for the game Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs because of an ankle injury suffered against the Raiders. If Jones-Quartey starts, it would give the Bears an all-rookie safety tandem.
The Chiefs, whose 250 passing yards per game are 12th in the NFL, must be salivating at the thought of two 22-year-old starters.
Adrian Amos, who has started every game this season, is about three months older than Jones-Quartey. He took charge of the Bears’ calls when Rolle was hurt and helped Jones-Quartey.
‘‘Just to be more assertive with it because he was new out there,’’ Amos said. ‘‘I had to make sure everybody knows what they’re doing. . . .
‘‘Just getting on the same page. [Rolle] is our leader on the team in general and a captain. We all have tomake a combined effort to fill a void that’s left when he’s gone.’’
Amos has ‘‘become the vocal commander,’’ Fangio said.
‘‘Obviously, he’s the most experienced guy back there,’’ Fangio said. ‘‘When I say ‘experienced,’ even though he’s a rookie, he’s had the most reps within our system in our short time here.’’
That’s no exaggeration. Demontre Hurst, a cornerback, started playing safety in camp for the first time since high school. Chris Prosinski, who signed with the Bears less than two weeks ago, played only 31 defensive snaps last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sherrod Martin spent the preseason with the Bears but didn’t re-sign with them until Tuesday.
Hurst, who played two snaps at safety in Week 1 in his only game this season, might be the best bet of the three to get significant playing time. Fangio praised his ‘‘football savviness,’’ but Hurst still is learning the safety spot.
‘‘As far as the technique, still learning the basics, still learning the fundamentals, cheat codes of being a safety,’’ Hurst said. ‘‘What to see.’’
He called himself ‘‘an ‘in-case’ person’’ and a role player, but his motivation goes beyond that. Coaches have taped a picture in his locker of the Chiefs’ own No. 30, defensive back Jamell Fleming. The two went to Oklahoma together.
Hurst said the Bears’ specialteams coaches have been asking, ‘‘Who’s going to be the better ‘30’ out there Sunday?’’
But where will he play? Hurst can cover the slot receiver and likely will play on special teams, too.
Whether he plays safety will be a referendum on the Bears’ faith in Jones-Quartey, whom they grabbed off waivers when he was let go by the Arizona Cardinals on the final cutdown day. They cut Martin to make room for him.
Martin, who said he was working to get caught up with the defense, doesn’t see a problem with two rookie starters.
‘‘I see two guys that are hungry,’’ he said. ‘‘Each day they come ready to learn, get better and to work.
‘‘Honestly, after preseason, you’re never really a rookie anymore. You have to grow fast.’’
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