Eddie Jackson has seen it all over the course of the last six years with the Chicago Bears. He’s been a part of defenses that have been elite, good, average, and putrid since he was drafted back in 2017. Unfortunately, that last description sums up the 2022 unit perfectly. But given the offseason overhaul on that side of the ball, most recently with the addition of defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, Jackson can see a strong group forming before his eyes.
The Bears inked Ngakoue to a one-year deal worth $10 million guaranteed on Friday, bringing much-needed help to the defensive line. The Bears totaled just 20 sacks in 2022 and Ngakoue has never had a season with less than eight. He’s a significant upgrade but Jackson was excited about what the defense was building even before the signing was made. “I feel good, man,” Jackson said with a smile on his face in response to a question by the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Wiederer. “I don’t want to sit up here and sound like a broken record but it’s fired up out there right now. It’s intense, everyone is flying around, guys are locked in. It’s a whole different mindset compared to last year.”
