Getty Former Bears free safety Eddie Jackson.
Eddie Jackson, a former All-Pro free safety for the Chicago Bears, has finally broken his silence about his offseason release from the team and shared a parting message with the fanbase that took him in over the past seven seasons.
The Bears moved on from Jackson — a starter since 2017 — back on February 15, cutting him and veteran interior offensive lineman Cody Whitehair in a pair of moves that freed up about $21.71 million in salary-cap savings. The writing had been on the wall for both starters, who each dealt with injuries and played below expectations in 2023.
Now, almost two months later, Jackson is officially saying goodbye and ‘thank you’ to the fans in Chicago who brought “passion” and “loyalty” to games during his career.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to the Bears organization, the coaches and my teammates,” Jackson wrote in a post shared on his Instagram (@bojack) on April 9. “You’ve been more than just colleagues; you’ve been my family, pushing me to be my best every single day. To the fans, you’ve been the heartbeat of Soldier Field, and it’s been an absolute privilege to play for you.”
Jackson, 30, remains an unrestricted free agent after nearly a month of 2024 NFL free agency, but he has started 100 games and picked off 15 passes over the past seven years — including five interceptions over the past two seasons. While he might have to wait until after the NFL draft at the end of April to find his next gig, he seems likely to land on a new roster for the 2024 season so long as he feels he still has gas left in the tank.
Bears Signed Kevin Byard to Replace Eddie Jackson
Few were surprised when the Bears opted to release Jackson back in February. He had one of the worst seasons of his career for Chicago in 2023 and would have carried a cap hit of roughly $18.14 million in the final year of his contract in 2024. Even if Jackson had played well last season, the Bears would have likely ended up in the same place.
More surprising, though, was how quickly the Bears acted to find his replacement. They could have waited until the start of 2024 free agency to find a new starting free safety or gone even longer and searched for a new safety in the NFL draft. Instead, they signed another former All-Pro — Kevin Byard — three days before the new league year.
Byard is comparable to Jackson in a couple of ways. Both are already 30 and hit the open market in 2024 following releases from their respective teams. They also both have ball-hawking tendencies at their position with Byard racking up 28 interceptions over his first eight seasons in the NFL, mostly spent with the Tennessee Titans.
Byard, however, has been more consistent than Jackson in several essential ways. He is a more reliable tackler and a terrific asset in the run game, earning a run-defense grade of 72 or better from Pro Football Focus over the past seven seasons. He has also remained remarkably healthy over his 130-game career, never missing a single game — or even a single practice, as Byard claimed once he arrived in Chicago.
Considering Chicago’s secondary is already loaded with long-term pieces, Byard is a nice pivot for the Bears, especially for just $15 million over the next two years.
Where Might Eddie Jackson Land for the 2024 Season?
Jackson did not land with a team while several other veteran safeties landed new jobs during the first wave of free agency. Xavier McKinney signed a big contract with the Green Bay Packers. Geno Stone flipped AFC North rivalry lines, going from Baltimore to Cincinnati. Other in-demand veterans such as Kamren Curl (Los Angeles Rams) and Jordan Whitehead (Tampa Bay) also signed new deals with new squads.
So, which teams could still enlist Jackson’s services for the 2024 season?
The New York Jets might be an option. They lost Whitehead in free agency and are still limited in terms of safety depth despite retaining Chuck Clark. While they realistically could — and should — look to add another safety in the NFL draft, they could circle back to the veteran Jackson if they emerge from the draft without the desired talent.
The Miami Dolphins might also kick the tires of Jackson’s market. They lost both DeShon Elliott and Brandon Jones in free agency but added veteran Jordan Poyer on an inexpensive one-year contract. They still need depth, but does it make enough sense for their AFC-contending roster to solve that problem with two safeties in their 30s?
Other safety-needing teams — including the Packers — could explore the possibility of adding Jackson as well, but it is unclear which teams will still be looking to add depth at the position once the draft comes and goes. Jackson also has competition with Justin Simmons, Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, Micah Hyde and others still unsigned.