Tag: contract holdout

Bears and S Jaquan Brisker are reportedly finalizing a 4-year contract

It appears Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker’s holdout is over as the two sides have reportedly agreed to a four-year contract.

Chicago Bears rookie safety Jaquan Brisker’s holdout ended before it even got started.

According to the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Wiederer, Brisker and the Bears are finalizing the four-year deal that will allow the rookie to report to training camp at Halas Hall on Tuesday with the rest of the team. The two sides reportedly came to an agreement on Monday afternoon.

Brisker’s contract status officially became a concern late last week when Wiederer reported the two sides could not come to an agreement, primarily due to the amount of guaranteed money in the third year of the deal, and a holdout appeared imminent. The playmaking safety was set to arrive at camp on Saturday with the rest of the rookies, as well as quarterbacks, but could not report without a deal getting done.

Now, Brisker will get situated with the rest of his teammates once the deal becomes official. Brisker was selected with the 48th overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Penn State and is a projected starter at safety opposite veteran Eddie Jackson.

With Brisker’s contract out of the way, general manager Ryan Poles can breathe a small sigh of relief before turning his attention to another possible holdout candidate in linebacker Roquan Smith. On Monday, it was reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that Smith would not participate in camp practices due to his contract status. Smith is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is looking to become one of the highest-paid linebackers in the league.

The entire Bears team reports to camp on Tuesday, with practices officially beginning Wednesday. Brisker will most likely be an active participant, but Smith’s status remains clouded.

Bears S Jaquan Brisker not expected at training camp on time amid contract holdout

Bears rookies will arrive at training camp this weekend, but safety Jaquan Brisker is not expected to be among them amid a contract holdout.

The Chicago Bears rookies will arrive at Halas Hall this weekend to begin training camp but one notable player isn’t expected to join them yet. Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker has yet to sign his contract and appears to be headed for a holdout, according to The Chicago Tribune’s Dan Wiederer. Brisker is the lone member of the team’s rookie draft class who is unsigned.

As Wiederer reports, the two sides are likely at an impasse regarding the amount of guaranteed money in Brisker’s third year of his four-year deal. The hang up is reportedly significant enough to warrant concern that the deal won’t be signed until August at the earliest, according to Wiederer. Brisker is not allowed to practice with the team while he is unsigned.

If a contract holdout does occur, it would be the first one for the Bears since 2018 when Roquan Smith missed most of training camp, resulting in limited playing time when the regular season began. Brisker is projected as the team’s starting safety opposite Eddie Jackson when week one arrives. He was selected with the 48th overall pick in the second round out of Penn State in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Should Brisker miss camp practices, free agent acquisition Dane Cruikshank stands to start in his place. Cruikshank was signed earlier this spring after spending four seasons with the Tennessee Titans.