The Chicago Bears could be looking for a free safety in NFL free agency next month if they choose to make veteran starter Eddie Jackson a cap casualty. If they are, NBC Sports Chicago’s Alex Shapiro projects a recent Super Bowl champion — Kansas City’s Mike Edwards — could be on their “wishlist” for 2024.

Edwards, 27, has won two Super Bowl rings over his first five seasons in the NFL, including in 2021 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He stepped up down the stretch of the 2023 season for the Chiefs after they lost starter Bryan Cook to a season-ending ankle injury, starting in their final nine games — including the playoffs — at free safety.

“Edwards also has eight interceptions, five fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and four defensive touchdowns over his five-year career, so he has the requisite ballhawk skills to play in the Bears secondary,” Shapiro wrote on February 13. “He was effective in the Super Bowl as well, with seven tackles and one PBU.”

The Bears would have no trouble affording Edwards with roughly $34.74 million in effective cap space for the 2024 season. According to Pro Football Focus, he is only projected to sign a one-year deal worth a total of $3.5 million in NFL free agency.

The real question is: Could Edwards realistically replace Jackson as their starter?

Mike Edwards Could Compete for Bears Starting Job
The Bears are widely expected to move on from Jackson before the start of the new league year on March 13. The 31-year-old regressed woefully in pass coverage during his second season in Matt Eberflus’ system, allowing the fifth-highest passer rating (121.1) in the NFL among safeties who played at least 600 snaps in 2023.

To keep him, the Bears would also have to justify paying Jackson’s $18.14 million cap hit for the 2024 season. Or they could cut him and create $12.56 million in cap space.

The decision seems obvious unless Jackson is willing to take a significant pay cut.

Edwards, however, would not be a clear-cut option to replace him as their starter. He fared better than Jackson in pass coverage (68.8 opposing passer rating) and generated more splash plays while playing nearly the same number of defensive snaps, but he also struggled as a run defender and posted a brutal missed tackle rate of 18%, per PFF.

The Bears could still reasonably find value in a safety like Edwards, but they might find it difficult to trust him as their outright replacement for Jackson. He has only started in 28 of his 75 career games in the NFL. A better approach might be signing Edwards to a prove-it deal in NFL free agency and letting him compete with a drafted rookie for the right to be their starter.

Which Safeties Could Bears Target in 2024 NFL Draft?
The Bears found a Day 1 rookie starter in Jaquan Brisker two offseasons ago in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, so it is not unreasonable to think they might try repeating the process in 2024 and using a draft pick to find Jackson’s replacement. Right now, Chicago’s draft situation makes it difficult to tell who might be a target.

The Bears hold the Nos. 1 and 9 overall picks in the first round of the draft, but they are highly unlikely to use either of them on a new safety. There is a chance they could trade down from the No. 9 spot and move into a better position to take one of the class’ top safeties — such as Minnesota’s Tyler Nubin — but it might still be a reach for them.

Otherwise, Chicago has one pick in the third round (No. 75), two picks in the fourth round (Nos. 110 and 122) and a final selection in the fifth round (No. 142). No doubt, there will still be good safeties on the board at 74, but how many can start right away?

Georgia’s Javon Bullard could be a good fit for the Bears at free safety, where he showed great instincts against SEC competition last season. USC’s Caleb Bullock might also still be on the board, even though he is more of a do-it-all defensive back than a pure safety.

The Bears could also still realistically re-enter the second round. If they decide to draft a quarterback at No. 1, they could trade quarterback Justin Fields and potentially net a second-round pick in the exchange. Aside from Nubin, Chicago’s second-round options could include either Miami’s Kamren Kinchens or Washington State’s Jaden Hicks.