Craig Steltz: Is He The Next Mike Brown Or The Next Adam Archuleta?

Jake Perper

Senior Writer Written on July 01, 2009

CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 02: Craig Steltz #20 of the Chicago Bears intercepts a pass intended for Calvin Johnson #81 of the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field on November 2, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Lions 27-23. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Will safety Craig Steltz step up this season and become the next Mike Brown?

Will he be the leader the Bears need so much in the secondary?

I hope he will be, but what I saw out of him last season wasn’t so good.

In eleven games Craig Steltz made 17 tackles and one interception.

He was a solid contributor on special teams, but when he stepped into the Green Bay Packers game in week 16 for the injured Mike Brown, he scared me.

I was at that freezing cold game and I thought he was Adam Archuleta at times, not just because he had the same #20 jersey, but because he made one of the worst plays of the game. He let Ryan Grant truck him for about a 15 yard touchdown run into the end zone.

What I saw out of Craig Steltz on that play made me want to vomit, just like all the horrible plays I watched Adam Archuleta make for one long season.

The Bears management hung with Archuleta for too long and I’m afraid they might do the same with, Steltz, the former fourth round pick out of LSU.

They have Steltz penciled in at FS and Kevin Payne at SS, but I really hope that the coaching staff goes with the real athlete in Corey Graham.

Graham made the switch from CB to FS this off-season and the coaches are really high on the guy.

The Bears also have safeties Glenn Earl, Josh Bullocks and Al Afalava, who are all fighting for a starting gig, but will probably be special team contributors at the most.

Don’t forget about the Bears possibly using Danieal Manning at FS, it’s unlikely because he has settled into the nickel-back position so well, but it could happen.

Back to Craig Steltz, I don’t see him as anything other than a special teams contributor for his entire NFL career.

He made an interception in a game against Detroit last season and also blocked a punt against Minnesota, but I don’t see him being the next Mike Brown or even anything resembling him.

He just might be the next Adam Archuleta, and that could be really bad.

Jake Perper is the creator of www.BearsBacker.com and also covers the Bears for www.NFLTouchdown.com.

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written on July 01, 2009 Opinion

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