Eddie Jackson Officially Closes Door on Bears Tenure
By Jovan Alford
The Chicago Bears made a couple of tough cuts to start the offseason, releasing offensive lineman Cody Whitehair and safety Eddie Jackson in February.
Both moves were expected as the Bears are retooling their roster for the 2024 season, but it was still the end of an era in which Jackson played a huge role. The 30-year-old safety was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, where he was named first-team All-Pro and the Pro Bowl twice.
Jackson took to social media on Tuesday night, posting a heartfelt message to the Windy City, fans, and the entire Bears organization.
“Wow, what a journey it’s been. Seven seasons in Chicago – it’s hard to believe how time quickly flies,” Jackson wrote. “To each and every one of you in the Bears family, thank you. Your passion, your loyalty, it’s what makes this city special.”
Long-time Bears safety Eddie Jackson posted this message on his Instagram this evening. pic.twitter.com/sDkkGM3gjE
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) April 10, 2024
Later in the message, the veteran safety took the time to thank the McCaskey Family and the Bears organization.
Even though Jackson’s play started to dwindle over the years, he was one of the better Bears’ defenders for some time and outplayed his draft stock. Any time you can draft a player in the fourth round, who becomes a starter as a rookie and for several seasons after that, it is a win-win for both sides.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide safety finished his Bears’ career with 459 combined tackles, 44 pass deflections, 15 interceptions, 14 tackles for loss, 10 forced fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns.
In his last season with the Bears, Jackson had 37 combined tackles, five pass deflections, and an interception. The veteran safety also had a 60 completion percentage allowed on targets, a 120.6 pass rating allowed when targeted, and gave up three touchdowns.
The Bears replaced Jackson with another vet in Kevin Byard, who spent last season with the Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles. As for Jackson, he still hasn’t found a new team yet, but that will likely change after the draft and as we get closer to training camp.
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