Bears Should Have Little Trouble Replacing Eddie Jackson in Free Agency

Lost in the discussion about what the Chicago Bears should do at quarterback is the departure of longtime starting safety Eddie Jackson. While it’s true Jackson’s play declined in 2023, his stabilizing presence as a starter in the secondary since 2017 will be missed.

But if there’s any offseason to move on from the former All-Pro, it’s 2024.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles will have no shortage of quality options at safety to sign in free agency, which is especially important considering the lacking depth at the position in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Check out this list of players who are either on or will hit the open market:

• Xavier McKinney
• Julian Blackmon
• Jordan Fuller
• Jordan Whitehead
• Kamren Curl
• Geno Stone
• Darnell Savage
• Justin Simmons
• Kevin Byard
• Quandre Diggs
• Jamal Adams
• Rayshawn Jenkins
• Jordan Poyer
• Keanu Neal

It’s a list that reads like a Who’s Who of NFL starters.

There’s a good chance the Chicago Bears can sign a premium safety at a discount, too. The oversaturation of talented starters will reset the market in the wrong direction for players, it feels a lot like the shift we’ve seen in the treatment of running backs in recent years.

The top of this class is McKinney, who, at 24, was one of Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded safeties in 2023. The former second-round pick from Alabama scored an elite coverage grade (91.2) and had the best tackling grade (89.1) of all starting safeties last year.

Spotrac estimates McKinney’s next contract to be in the range of five years, $52.4 million, which is still less than what the Bears paid Eddie Jackson in 2020 (four years, $58.4 million).

The Chicago Bears are set to begin NFL free agency with just over $57.5 million in salary cap space, the fifth-most in the league. If they want McKinney or anyone else on that list, they’ll get them.