The Chicago Bears are set to begin their 2022 training camp without one of their top two draft picks present.
Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker is set to be a holdout, according to a July 22 report by Dan Wiederer of The Chicago Tribune. The Bears selected Brisker out of Penn State in Round 2 with the No. 48 overall pick, and he’s expected to be a starter in the secondary opposite All-Pro Eddie Jackson. He won’t be there when the rest of the team’s rookies and quarterbacks report to camp on July 23, however, and Wiederer laid out the presumed reasons why.
“It is believed one of the main snags in contract negotiations centers around the amount of guaranteed money the team is willing to offer for the third year of Brisker’s four-year deal,” Wiederer reported.
Chicago’s other second-rounder, cornerback Kyler Gordon, was selected with the 39th overall pick and inked a $8,682,926 rookie contract with $4,594,534 guaranteed, per Spotrac. Gordon is slated to earn $1,494,357 in the third year of his rookie deal, and it’s possible Brisker is looking for something close to that.
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Brisker’s Holdout Could Create ‘Tension,’ Wiederer Notes
“Barring significant developments in the coming days, according to sources, Brisker’s holdout could extend past the full team’s reporting date next week and has the potential to last into August,” Wiederer wrote, also noting the rookie safety’s absence might cause unnecessary conflict with first-year general manager Ryan Poles and defensive-minded head coach Matt Eberflus.
“The contract standoff with Brisker could create unwanted tension and add to Poles’ administrative responsibilities as the Bears charge into camp for the first time under his watch,” Wiederer added.
It’s early in Brisker’s standoff with the team, and Poles, director of football administration Matt Feinstein and senior vice president and general counsel Cliff Stein have managed to sign 10 of Chicago’s 11 draft picks, so it’s possible this ends quickly.
It’s also possible, as Wiederer noted, that it could drag out into late August, which would result in Brisker missing the preseason, as well.
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Brisker Could Miss Valuable Time, Reps
In 34 games and 21 starts in his three years at Penn State, Brisker established himself as a hard-hitting safety, amassing 151 total tackles (85 solo, 10.0 for loss), five interceptions, 14 passes defensed and a fumble recovery from 2019 to 2021.
Eberflus spoke highly of Brisker throughout OTAs, saying in June he and his staff were “thrilled” with Brisker’s “talent, with his mental makeup, just the person he is and where he is with his development.”
The last time a rookie of significance held out in Chicago, it was No. 8 overall pick Roquan Smith in 2018. If Brisker returns to team activities sooner than later, his chances of being a starter are still good. The longer he remains a holdout, however, those chances diminish a tad more as each week goes by.
“Smith’s camp holdout wasn’t figured to be a major deal in mid-to-late July,” Wiederer added. “The linebacker, though, went on to miss more than four weeks of camp and 15 practices as a rookie, which slowed his emergence.”
Will Brisker see a similar start to his career? We’ll know soon enough.
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Top Rookie’s Holdout May Cause ‘Tension’ With New Bears GM: Report