The Chicago Bears wrapped their 2022 season, where they finished 3-14 and lost their final 10 games of the year. But the future is bright heading into this 2023 offseason, as GM Ryan Poles has the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, a boatload of salary cap space ($118 million) and a franchise quarterback in Justin Fields.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be counting down our 15 Most Impactful Bears for the 2022 season. We’ll recap their 2022 season and look ahead to how they factor into 2023.
Next up at No. 7 is safety Jaquan Brisker, who served as the perfect complement to Eddie Jackson and was Chicago’s most impactful rookie.
Background
Position: Safety
Age: 23
Experience: Rookie
2022 cap hit: $1.34 million
2022 stats
- 104 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery (15 games)
2022 recap
Brisker was easily GM Ryan Poles’ best draft pick last season, where the second-rounder proved to be versatile in the defensive backfield from the get-go. Brisker moved around the field, whether it was inside the box, defending slot receivers or blitzing, and the production was there. Brisker led the team with 4.0 sacks and had the second-most tackles (104). He was solid against the run and in coverage, although he struggled with tackling at times. Brisker’s availability was a strength, as he played 100 percent of defensive snaps in all but three games he played. But he missed two games due to a concussion. More than his individual production, Brisker was the perfect complement to veteran Eddie Jackson, who thrived in his return to free safety. Brisker stood out with his physicality and playmaking ability on a defense that was lacking in a lot of areas.
2023 outlook
The future is bright for Brisker, who is coming off an impressive rookie season. Heading into the 2023 season, Brisker will be back starting at strong safety alongside his running mate Eddie Jackson, who is returning from a foot injury. The secondary is no doubt the strength of Chicago’s defense, and Brisker is a big part of that. As a rookie, Brisker was solid in coverage and defending run, but there’s still room for improvement, as he missed some tackles last season. Another year in Matt Eberflus’ defense should do him wonders. But given what we’ve seen from Brisker so far, it certainly looks like he’s well on his way to becoming a star and an impactful defensive cornerstone for years to come.
15 Most Impactful Bears of 2022
We’re counting down our 15 Most Impactful Bears of 2022. Check back every day.
| 15. LT Braxton Jones | 14. CB Kyler Gordon | 13. DT Justin Jones |
| 12. RB David Montgomery | 11. RB Khalil Herbert | 10. CB Jaylon Johnson |
| 9. TE Cole Kmet | 8. LB Jack Sanborn | 7. S Jaquan Brisker |
| 6. COMING 1/25 | 5. COMING 1/26 | 4. COMING 1/27 |
| 3. COMING 1/28 | 2. COMING 1/29 | 1. COMING 1/30 |
