Chicago Bears: Eddie Jackson re-signs on 4-year deal
By Ryan Fedrau
On Friday, the Chicago Bears announced they would be re-signing safety Eddie Jackson. Jackson was drafted in 2017 by the Bears and keeping him is huge for this defense.
The Chicago Bears defense might have taken a step back from last season but still was an elite force in the NFL. As the team gets healthier, stars like Eddie Jackson will get more chances to shine. Jackson only had two interceptions in 2019, but the team did struggle in the pass rush. If key defensive line players weren’t banged up all year like Akiem Hicks, the secondary would have created more turnovers.
It’s easy for offenses to pick apart a secondary when there is little to no pass rush. Throughout the 2019 season, the Bears faced a lot of injuries. Hicks getting hurt in London against the Raiders showed how important he is to this football team. The defense took a step back without him.
The drop in turnovers from 2018 to 2019 for Jackson isn’t something to be concerned about. He still is a fantastic football player and makes the big plays when it counts. He covers his ground well and has made passers look the other way instead of testing him.
Jackson’s biggest moment of his young career was in 2018 when he intercepted Aaron Rodgers to win the NFC North. Keeping Jackson in Chicago and making him the highest-paid safety in the NFL was something that was needed to keep this defense strong. As the offense starts to build and hopefully find some consistency, players who can disrupt the passing game like Jackson will help the team get better.
As a fan of Jackson, I’m excited to see what he will do next season. He was a steal in the 2017 NFL Draft when he was picked in the fourth round by the Bears. So, for those who Ryan Pace doesn’t draft well, players like Jackson show other-wise.
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The details for the contract include a four-year extension worth $58.4 million. $33 million of the contract is guaranteed. Jackson’s average salary will be around $14.6 million per season. He will be under contract until 2025 when he becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent at age 32.