Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles has made some great picks in recent years, including the 2025 draft where he selected tight end Colston Loveland, wide receiver Luther Burden III, and running back Kyle Monangai. Another player who once looked like a star in the making for Chicago is now very likely not being considered in the Bears' future plans whatsoever is safety Jaquan Brisker.
Brisker once looked like the future of the Chicago secondary, but injuries and other factors have quickly changed that. Brisker's concerns aren't in the magnifying glass for a large portion of Bears fans, most likely because of other problems the defense has had and because he played at a high level in years past. For other Bears fans, however, Brisker's play has been nothing short of abysmal.
Even if only now most fans are realizing it, Brisker has been at his breaking point with the Bears for a few weeks now and it could lead to the end of his time in Chicago.
Jaquan Brisker's Days in Chicago Are Numbered Ahead of Playoff Run
There are many factors as to why the Brisker situation has ended up how it has, and the No. 1 thing to look at should be his concussion issues during the 2024 season that limited him to five games. Any concussion can seriously alter the way you view playing the game from that point on. Having the experience once makes a player realize that it can happen again, and in Brisker's case, he admitted that he had to "retrain his nervous system" just to return to the field this season.
It's also clear that he's not playing up to his prior standards largely due to this. Brisker has stayed healthy for all 16 games so far this season, and while he's posted respectable stats with 85 total tackles, he has just one tackle for loss and an interception.
It reaches a point where you have to ask if he's capable of becoming the star safety he was in years prior. Where have the impact plays gone? Where is the Jaquan Brisker that Bears fans grew to love in his first few years in Chicago? It's unlikely that Brisker just suddenly lost his talent. The answers to these questions are most likely in Brisker's head, and Bears fans can only hope to get the 100% version of Brisker in the playoffs.
Even if Brisker performs to a higher standard in the playoffs, it's very unlikely that he will stick around in Chicago in the 2026 season and beyond. For a guy on a rookie contract, you can sometimes live with these shortcomings, but for a safety entering his 5th NFL season who you now have to pay serious money, these things can't be happening.
The Bears also have to make a decision with Kevin Byard this season, who despite being six years older has been the more impactful player with an NFL-high six interceptions.
The Bears most likely scenario now is to let Brisker walk, and extend Byard. From there the Bears, could sign another safety in free agency to pair with Byard, or draft one to learn under Byard. Whichever path Chicago chooses to travel, Brisker's tenure as a Bear has all but come to an end.