Strike an actual free safety off the board.
Eugene Wilson, the Illinois native who played for Ron Turner in college, has re-signed with the Houston Texans, agreeing to a three-year contract.
The two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots was considered a possibility for the Bears. He played one season in Houston last year and was quickly promoted over Will Demps. Given that move by then Texans secondary coach Jon Hoke, who is now in that position with the Bears, Wilson was considered a player the Bears might target in free agency. Not any more.
In a related move, Houston cut ties with the veteran Demps. But with him behind pushed to the back by Hoke and the Texans, that’s an unlikely pairing. There is another safety with a background with Hoke available, C.C. Brown, but he might be more of a strong safety.
Houston also cut Ephraim Salaam, the veteran offensive tackle. That’s noteworthy because the Bears made a move to sign him in 2004. The Bears are going to have to find a veteran tackle somewhere. It’s unknown how the club views him now.
