NFL: Building the best 2021 roster from NFC North teams

Ultimate 2021 NFC North Safeties: Harrison Smith (MIN), Adrian Amos (GB)

Unlike at cornerback, there were a number of terrific safeties to choose from in the NFC North but this duo stood out.

Since before Harrison Smith joined the NFL, he has been a great safety. He was an outstanding safety prospect with Notre Dame and was drafted with the 29th pick in 2012 by the Vikings. Minnesota was immediately rewarded by Smith as he was a difference-maker on the back end of the Vikings defense. If you like safeties who can do it all no matter what they are asked, then Smith is your man.

If this was three years ago during the 2018 season, we would have likely seen two Bears safeties in Adrian Amos and his former teammate, Eddie Jackson. Amos left the Bears for the Packers after the 2018 season, though. And since then, Amos has been the better safety of the two. One thing that may have hurt Eddie Jackson is the loss of Vic Fangio, whose defense is notably safety friendly and has now helped Broncos safety Justin Simmons reach new heights in his career.

While Jackson struggled in Chicago, Amos has thrived in Green Bay. He has established himself as one of the premier coverage safeties in the NFL. Outside of being dominant in zone coverage, Amos also brings some value in the fact that he lines up all over the defense as he has plenty of snaps playing free safety, box safety, and even a good amount of snaps in the slot.