Everything feels fresh to Bears safety Eddie Jackson, and it’s impossible to overlook how the coaching change renewed his enthusiasm.
It was evident in April at minicamp after an offseason of waiting to see if he’d be traded or released. Jackson simply looked joyful. His face lit up with every question about how he’d fit into the new scheme under coach Matt Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams.
It was perfect timing. Everything had cleared up for Jackson, including some challenges in his personal life and various frustrations on the field, and the change sparked him.
“It just felt that much better, man,” Jackson said. “I could really start over and build from here on what I really want to do.
“And that was the message from the coaches when they came to me and explained how they wanted me to play. I was very happy with it.”
And he has been thrilled since.
After two seasons without an interception, Jackson already has two as he eyes Giants quarterback Daniel Jones on Sunday.
Jackson, 28, was the wild card of the defensive players Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles inherited. If he produced like the All-Pro he was in 2018, he could be integral to the rebuild. If not, it would be time to offload the remaining three years and $51.9 million on his contract.
Both sides are glad they kept him. Eberflus raved this week about Jackson’s conditioning and effort, and Jackson sees a brighter future than ever with the Bears.
“I know how it works in the league, and guys don’t stay with one team, but that’s something I’d really love,” he said. “I love it here. I love the tradition and the history. And right now, we’re balling. So I want to keep this thing going and finish out my career here as a Bear.”
If he keeps playing like this, that should happen.
Eberflus and Williams envisioned Jackson as a roving threat deep in the secondary who would be a constant concern for quarterbacks.
Sound familiar? That’s exactly what he was in 2018, when the Bears also had Adrian Amos. Jackson had six interceptions and a fumble recovery and scored three touchdowns. But when Amos left in free agency, the team kept trying to replace him on the cheap, and that left Jackson with wide-ranging responsibilities.
Enter Jaquan Brisker.
The Bears invested the 48th overall pick in 2022 on Brisker and projected him as a do-it-all safety in the long run. For now, though, he specializes in playing strong safety and freeing up Jackson.
He’s also the best talent they’ve paired with Jackson since Amos.
“Watching last year’s games, it seemed like he did a lot of the work,” Brisker said. “He looked like he was really trying to be a savior almost.
“If I’m in the box, he’s up high where he can cover the field, read the quarterback and make plays on the ball.”
Jackson was willing to play the way the Bears asked him to the last few seasons but didn’t think it made the best use of his abilities the way this arrangement does.
“This is what I’ve mastered,” he said. “This is my strength. . . . That’s really the big change.”
Eberflus also overhauled the Bears philosophically, particularly with an emphasis on always practicing with game-level intensity. It was interesting to see how that would sit with veterans, but Jackson actually credited it as a reason he’s playing better.
“We practice fast, so it’s natural to do it in a game,” he said. “We’re so conditioned as a team. Everybody’s not doing that. . . . I’ve been here six years, and this is the first year we actually go out there and practice fast all the time, so that’s a huge help.”
It’s working for Jackson, and he’s proved to be compatible with Eberflus and Williams. Once a potential misfit, Jackson looks like a perfect match.
