Bear Digest

Help for Eddie Jackson or Replacements

The Bears can be expected to look at safeties in the draft as they are undermanned at the position but also because Eddie Jackson's future could be cloudy if he fails to rebound this year in Matt Eberflus' scheme.

Gene Chamberlain

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It's been five years since Eddie Jackson was drafted and he's been given a clean slate, according to Bears coach Matt Eberflus.

Jackson isn't denying he could use it after last season.

"I feel pretty good," Jackson said. "Just get everything behind, everything you went through.

"Now it's a fresh start. No one cares what you did in the past. Right now is here for it. That's what we're focusing on."

Certainly not last year or even the previous year as Jackson went without an interception since 2019, and last season official NFL stat partner Sportradar credited him with a career-worst six touchdown passes allowed in coverage.

"Yah, it wasn't the best at all," Jackson said. "I think that's probably one of my worst seasons. I gave up too many deep balls. Just trying to eliminate that.

"The little things with your eyes, breaking on the ball, attention to details. Little things, little fixes that you could make."

The heavy cover-2 emphasis of Eberflus' defense simplifies coverage for players.

"The coaches are challenging us to do certain things we've never done before," Jackson said. "Just like flying around. We run to everything. That's the biggest emphasis is finish, hustle, effort and that's just what we are doing right now."

That's all the extra running Eberflus has the defense doing, chasing after the ball and then picking up loose footballs even on incompletions to return the way the Bears did when Lovie Smith coached.

"We see the results when we go out there flying around," Jackson said. "Like today, that was one of the better days, today we had a couple of turnovers and a couple pass breakups. That comes from just flying around."

It came at the expense of Justin Fields and the Bears offense, but the defenses is getting a new system just like the offense. There will be give and take.

It's easier to play fast when decisions are less involved on a play. This wasn't the case with the Vic Fangio defensive style but the Bears were in it basically for seven years through three coordinators using similar approaches.

"It's probably a lot simpler," Jackson conceded about the new defense. "It's not too much eyes here, eyes there. You just see what's in front of you and play."

Perhaps it will fuel a Jackson comeback. Perhaps not, and if it doesn't then he could possibly become in 2023 what other veteran Bears were this year -- dispensible.

Either way, at some point the Bears need to draft a safety to play beside him or to groom for his spot next year. Neither DeAndre Houston-Carson nor Dane Cruikshank have been starting safety material in the past.

Because the Bears are going to need their earlier picks for the offensive or defensive lines, wide receiver or even cornerback, it's difficult to see why they had Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker visit Halas Hall.

ESPN's Mel Kiper says he's a second-round pick, others say no later than Day 2 of the draft.

If the Bears are looking next week for a later-round safety, here are possible fits for their new defense with corresponding athletic ability. Not all are pure safetites and are considered possible converts.

Bubba Bolden, Miami 

6-2, 209, 2 INTs, 6 pass breakups

Big enough to go into the box and tackle backs or cover tight ends, and ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash. He started out at USC but then transferred to Miami.

"Bolden projects as a future starter at the safety position who can be a playmaker in cover two, robbing the middle of the field and in man coverage on tight ends," wrote NFL Draft Bible's Lorenz Leinweber.

Percy Butler, Louisiana-Lafayette

6-foot, 194, 3 INTs, 13 breakups

A bit light but makes up for it with blazing speed and he is fast enough he could match up in a man-to-man situation with the fastest wideouts. He ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash. A special teams maven who has blocked kicks and plays on coverage units, but is not the best tackler due to lack of strength, according to NFL Draft Bible. He has played both safety and corner.

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Alontae Taylor, Tennessee

6-foot, 199, 4 INTs, 15 breakups

Regarded by many as a cornerback, he also has enough strength, athleticism and size to be a safety. He ran 4.36 in the 40 and did a 34 1/2-inch vertical. NFL Draft Bible sees him as lacking "close-quarter quickness" and as a result he might not be a good slot cornerback but could fit as a safety due to his good range and general speed. Also he's a potential special teams ace. ESPN's draft analyst Jordan Reid regards him as a potential safety or corner.

Yusuf Corker, Kentucky

5-11, 203, 3 INTs, 14 breakups

Unlike some of these quasi/cornerback types, there is no doubt Corker is a safety. He brings it. Although he's not generally large, he hits and can come down into the box and stop running backs with an aggressive style. He's not quite the Bob Sanders size but his ability to get after people reminds some of the former Colts safety. Generally regarded as a Day 3 option. He has played both corner and safety, like Jackson did at Alabama.

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Akayleb Evans, Missouri

6-2, 197, 1 INT, 17 breakups

Most consider him an outside cornerback but because he has shown great versatility and lined up in slot coverage as a 6-2 pass defender, it's thought by some scouts he could also be a safety. Either way, the Bears could use a player like this, who ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and has a 36-inch vertical. The vertical makes him a likely cornerback but a real knack for communicating with fellow defenders in zone coverage makes him seem like a player who could convert to cover-2 safety as well. He started out at Tulsa and left for Missouri his final year, where he made his only interception.

Qwynnterrio Cole, Louisville

5-11 3/4, 206, 7 INTs

A former HBCU safety who transferred from Alcorn State to Louisville. NFL.com's scouting assessment is he lacks speed to play single high but could be in cover-2. He also doesn't do well matching up in man because of reported shortcomings at following route breaks. Very raw because of his lack of experience against top competition. He had one pick and six breakups last year against better competition.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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