Eddie Jackson’s playing days with the Chicago Bears are looking like they’re numbered.
Jackson, who has spent all seven years of his career playing for the Bears, took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared a few choice emoji including a hand giving the peace sign and a heart, which seemed to suggest he’s leaving the Windy City. He later deleted that post.
A few minutes after sharing and deleting the emoji, Jackson posted two very telling words: “New beginnings.”
Jackson has a base salary of just over $14 million in 2024, and he was expected to be a potential salary cap casualty. His recent social media activity is a strong indicator he’ll be wearing a different uniform when he takes the field next season.
Eddie Jackson Would Be Leaving Bears After 7 Memorable Seasons
The 30-year-old Jackson was a fourth-round pick out of Alabama for the Bears in 2017. He quickly became labeled one of the best draft selections of former general manager Ryan Pace’s tenure in Chicago.
New Beginnings✝️
— Eddie Jackson (@BoJack4) February 9, 2024
Jackson earned two Pro Bowl nods (in 2018 and 2019) and first-team All-Pro honors (2018) over his first three seasons in the league. He hauled in 10 interceptions and scored three defensive touchdowns in that span, becoming known as a ball-hawk, but his production has dwindled since.
Over the past four seasons, Jackson has five interceptions and no defensive touchdowns. He had a solid season in 2022, when he snagged four of those five picks, also forcing two fumbles.
Foot injuries limited to 12 games him over each of the past two seasons and likely played a part in the decline of his on-field production, particularly in 2023. He finished with a career-low 37 total tackles, 5 pass breakups and an interception this past season, which is likely his last in the Windy City.
Oh Eddie is gone gone. The true end of an era. pic.twitter.com/RCIuY0UUtC
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) February 9, 2024
Oh Eddie is gone gone. The true end of an era.
Bears Will Look to Get Younger at Free Safety
The Bears will miss Jackson’s veteran presence in the secondary. He has started 100 games for Chicago over his career and has been a solid mentor to second-year safety Jaquan Brisker and other young players on the team.
“Eddie’s kinda like the mouthpiece back there,” Bears safeties coach Andre Curtis said about Jackson last season.
“The communication element, you just feel his presence because he’s seen so many things,” Curtis added. “It’s not that the other guys don’t know, it’s just that Eddie anticipates fast. Really fast. He sees it. He sees it before it happens and he’s communicating, ‘Alert on this motion. Be alert for this.’ A lot of guys can learn that stuff or see that stuff, but can they share it or process it to the other people? Some guys have a knack for that and Eddie, that’s what makes him really cool.”
While Jackson will surely be missed in and out of the locker room, injuries coupled with issues tackling (he has 74 missed tackles over his seven years in the NFL, according to PFF) have plagued him throughout his career. The Bears will likely look to find another younger free safety in the mold of the ball-hawk Jackson once was.
It’s the end of an era, to be sure, but with his history, Jackson should have no trouble finding a new home.
