3 Former Bears Still Unemployed Entering Training Camp

3. Eddie Jackson, safety

The safety market in the 2024 offseason has been all over the map.

It was an extremely deep crop of free agents across the NFL to open the offseason. If you wanted an All-Pro to come in, you've had ample opportunities to add one. If you wanted a young, ascending player at the position, those have been readily available as well.

The Chicago Bears made Eddie Jackson a veteran cap casualty earlier on in this offseason, and the fact that he still doesn't have a job is definitely a concern for him. As the war on attrition wages and teams suffer injuries, Jackson will undoubtedly get phone calls. Interest will likely ramp up the closer we get to training camp as well, but we just saw Jamal Adams come off the market for the veteran minimum (signing with the Titans).

Former Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons -- a player whose 30 interceptions are more than anyone else in the league since 2016 -- still remains unsigned as well.

Even though the safety market was crowded to begin with, it's still got top-end talent and depth. Jackson figures to be part of that but he wasn't exactly ascending at the time the Bears released him, either. The former All-Pro has missed 10 games over the last two seasons and wasn't playing nearly as well as Bears fans had grown accustomed to.

Even with an old friend, Vic Fangio, getting a gig in Philadelphia with the Eagles where they have needs in the defensive backfield, Jackson remains available. It's not looking good as we sit on the doorstep of training camp, but Jackson should eventually find a landing spot.

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