The Bears have signed safety Eddie Jackson to a four-year contract extension worth $58.4 million with $33 million guaranteed, according to Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire. That could be good news for Broncos safety Justin Simmons.
Jackson is now the league’s highest-paid safety, earning an average of $14.6 million per season. Simmons is about to become a free agent in March and his agent will likely ask for more than what Jackson was paid.
Jackson — a free safety like Simmons — totaled 60 tackles, one sack, five pass breakouts and two interceptions this year. Simmons totaled 93 tackles, 15 pass breakups and four interceptions. Jackson earned AP All-Pro honors last season and Simmons was named a second-team All-Pro this year.
Simmons will likely aim to top — or at least match — Jackson’s new contract. Simmons earned just over $4.7 million in the first four years of his career. The safety will likely earn three times that total in 2020 alone.
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