Matt Nagy confirms competition at cornerback and safety

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson and S Tashaun Gipson remain the favorites to win starting jobs, but they’ll have to lock those jobs down in camp.

Don’t pencil in those 53-man roster projections just yet.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy told reporters last week that there will indeed be competition at cornerback and safety in training camp.

Still, rookie cornerback Jaylon Johnson and veteran safety Tashaun Gipson remain the clear-cut favorites to win the starting jobs opposite cornerback Kyle Fuller and safety Eddie Jackson, but they’ll have to lock those jobs down in camp and preseason.

The Bears released veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara earlier this offseason as a cap casualty, are they’re looking for his replacement opposite Fuller. Second-round pick Jaylon Johnson figures to assume that role. But he’ll have to battle a crowded cornerbacks room, including veteran Kevin Toliver and newcomers Artie Burns and Tre Roberson.

Chicago lost safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to free agency, which frees Eddie Jackson to move back to his natural position of free safety in 2020. While Deon Bush looked to be in line to replace Clinton-Dix, the Bears added veteran safety and ballhawk Tashaun Gipson, who should win the starting job opposite Jackson.

Heading into training camp, there will be several roster battles to watch, including cornerback and safety. Although those figure to be less of a surprise than, say, the quarterback battle between Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles.

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