Bears 2023 NFL draft preview: Where does Chicago stand at safety?
The Chicago Bears have had a busy offseason, working to improve the team following their historic 3-14 run during the 2022 season during general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus’ first year with the team. Now going into Year 2, Poles and Eberflus are working to get the Bears back to relevancy and build a foundation that will eventually lead to postseason success.
Following their free agency frenzy, the Bears are setting their sights towards the 2023 NFL draft, which is quickly approaching. After initially winding up with the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears moved down to No. 9 following a lucrative trade with the Carolina Panthers. They will look to shore up certain positions such as offensive tackle and defensive line that still have glaring holes.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the NFL draft. Up next is safety, which is set with Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker.
Who's on the roster?
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Eddie Jackson
Jaquan Brisker
Elijah Hicks
A.J. Thomas
Adrian Colbert
Jackson had a bounce back year in 2022, where he established himself as a defensive leader following the departures of Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn. After not notching an interception in the previous two seasons, Jackson led the Bears with four picks — and that was in just 12 games, as he missed the final five after suffering a season-ending foot injury. Jackson added 80 total tackles, including one for a loss, six pass breakups and led the team with two forced fumbles.
Brisker established himself as Ryan Poles’ best draft pick, where he showed his potential as a cornerstone member of this defense moving forward. Brisker led the team with four sacks and had the second-most tackles (104). He added five tackles for loss, one interception, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. While a concussion knocked him out two games, Brisker played nearly every snap on defense.
Hicks, a seventh-round rookie, served mostly in a reserve role on defense and was a special teams contributor. Hicks did get two starts on the year, including in the season finale against the Vikings, where he had his best outing with 11 total tackles and a forced fumble. Thomas, an undrafted rookie, appeared in five games in limited fashion, primarily on special teams. But he saw some action during to injuries in the secondary, where he totaled four tackles. Colbert was signed to the active roster after Jackson suffered a season-ending injury. He appeared in two games last season, where he played exclusively on special teams.
Who departed this offseason?
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DeAndre Houston-Carson
Dane Cruikshank
Houston-Carson has been one of the longest-tenured veterans on the team, and there’s a reason Poles brought him back on a one-year deal. Not only is Houston-Carson a leader on special teams, but he’s a key reserve at safety. After Jackson went down for the year in Week 11, Houston-Carson started the final six games of the season opposite Brisker. He totaled 45 tackles, including two for a loss, one interception, one pass deflection and one forced fumble for the season.
Cruikshank was brought in to be a situational contributor for the Bears on defense and special teams. He was someone who had earned a reputation for being able to step in and hold his own at safety. But Cruikshank struggled with injuries during training camp and the regular season, which limited him to eight games, where had totaled just one tackle on defense. Cruikshank was solid on special teams, when healthy.
Positional need: Low
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There are questions all across the roster, but safety isn’t one of them. It’s one of the team’s biggest strengths. That’s because of the duo of Jackson and Brisker, who are the perfect 1-2 punch at safety. While Jackson carries a team-high $17.09 cap hit in 2023, he’s coming off a bounce-back year that was cut short due to injury. Pairing him with a true strong safety in Brisker has done wonders. The biggest question facing the group is about depth. Do the Bears bring back Houston-Carson, who remains on the open market, given he’s a leader on special teams?
Top draft prospects
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Brian Branch, Alabama
Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
Sydney Brown, Illinois
Jordan Battle, Alabama
Jammie Robinson, Florida State
Branch is the consensus No. 1 safety in this draft class, and he’s projected to be a first-round selection. The Bears don’t have a need at safety, so it’s unlikely they’ll be in play for these top prospects. Although they could certainly add a developmental prospect in the later rounds of the draft.
2023 NFL draft position preview
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Safety | Specialists |
