Tag: Jaquan Brisker

Bears safety Jaquan Brisker seemingly reacts to Matt Eberflus firing with cryptic tweet

Well, this is awkward.

The Chicago Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus, and safety Jaquan Brisker seemingly had feelings about the news with an eerily timed tweet.

As recently as Friday morning, Eberflus seemed confident that the Bears wouldn’t fire him after Thursday’s timeout debacle. But, just hours later, he was out as head coach, replaced by offensive coordinator Thomas Brown.

Shortly after news of the firing broke, safety Jaquan Brisker took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared a tweet that read, “God [doesn’t] make mistakes.” It’s unclear if the tweet is related to Eberflus’ departure — Brisker often shares content like this — but the timing is peculiar.

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Bears receive tough injury news ahead of showdown vs. Commanders

The Bears will be without two key starters on Sunday vs. Commanders.

The biggest injury news surrounding Sunday’s NFC showdown between the Washington Commanders (5-2) and Chicago Bears (4-2) was the status of Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Daniels did practice Friday and was listed as questionable for Sunday.

But the Bears had some injury news of their own. Chicago will be without starting safety Jaquan Brisker and cornerback Kyler Gordon against the Commanders.

Gordon injured his hamstring two weeks ago in the win over Jacksonville. He has 33 tackles, including three tackles for loss, one pass breakup, 0.5 sack and two fumble recoveries. Gordon is considered one of the NFL’s better slot cornerbacks.

Like Gordon, Brisker was a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and has been a mainstay in the starting lineup. Brisker suffered a concussion in the Week 5 win over Carolina. This season, Brisker has recorded 40 tackles, including three for a loss, one sack, two pass breakups and one forced fumble.

Stepping in for Brisker will be Elijah Hicks, while Josh Blackwell likely fills in for Gordon.

The Bears have a solid secondary, led by Brisker, Gordon and Jaylon Johnson, so losing two key starters for Sunday’s game could be good news for the Commanders.

Panthers TE Tommy Tremble leaves game after taking frightening hit to head

Panthers TE Tommy Tremble has been evaluated for a concussion following a scary hit from Bears S Jaquan Brisker.

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble left Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears after taking on a frightening hit from safety Jaquan Brisker.

The hit occurred with just under three minutes remaining in the first half, when Tremble reeled in what would be a 9-yard reception from quarterback Andy Dalton. That 9-yard reception would also be a fumble, one that was recovered by Bears defensive lineman Gervon Dexter.

Chicago proceeded to cash in on the turnover on a subsequent three-play, 44-yard drive to the end zone. Running back D’Andre Swift starred on the possession, as he chalked up a 42-yard catch-and-run and eventually punched in the rock on a 1-yard rush.

Tremble, who underwent evaluation for a concussion, was able to walk back to the locker room. His return to the contest is questionable.

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Former Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker wins game for the Chicago Bears

Jaquan Brisker had the play of the day for the Chicago Bears.

Penn State is enjoying a good season of its own so far following its second big test of the year by beating Illinois in primetime on Saturday in a battle of undefeated teams.

The goals of this team are to get back to the Big Ten title game for the first time since 2016-17 and put themselves in a position to make their first-ever College Football Playoff. If they continue to play the way they have during their first four contests, they should be able to accomplish one, if not both, of those goals.

While Penn State has enjoyed success on Saturdays, there have been tons of former Nittany Lions who have continued their careers at the professional level in the NFL, and on Sunday, one of their former standouts, [autotag]Jaquan Brisker[/autotag], sealed a win for the Chicago Bears.

Brisker was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft after being a first-team All-Big 10 and second-team All-American selection in his final season with Penn State.

He originally started his career with Lackawanna Community College after not being rated as a high school prospect. He transferred to the Nittany Lions ahead of the 2019-20 season where he played in 13 games and recorded 32 total tackles and two interceptions.

That earned him a larger role heading into the next year where he became an elite defender during his time in Happy Valley.

Brisker finished his career with 146 total tackles, 10 for a loss, 19 passes defended, and five interceptions across his 34 games and 21 starts.

So far, the former Penn State standout has also enjoyed a solid career in Chicago, starting all 34 games he’s been available to play and recording 244 total tackles, 159 of them being solo with 11 of them coming for loss, while also showing his versatility with six sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

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Bears safety Jaquan Brisker is the last person who should be hyping up Chicago’s secondary

Bears fans should now brace themselves for a complete disaster.

There’s a lot of reason for optimism with the Chicago Bears these days. With No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams surrounded by a solid supporting cast, the young Bears look like they have a ton of promising potential. It’s no wonder HBO and NFL Films wanted them on Hard Knocks next month.

If there’s one thing that can pop this balloon of Bears hopefulness, it’s unwarranted confidence from non-franchise, inconsistent players.

Enter Jaquan Brisker.

You might remember the Chicago safety from that time he said Jordan Love is “nothing special” after a dominant Green Bay Packers win. How about that time when he begged rightfully frustrated Bears fans to be nicer to the team after a dumpster fire start to the season? I’ll give Brisker this: he’s certainly not shy to air out his grievances and speak his mind, regardless of whether whatever he has to say makes any sense.

I don’t blame you if you don’t remember Brisker from those instances. Other than any time he’s been unjustifiably arrogant in public, you probably don’t recall him because, through two years, he’s mostly been an unreliable disappointment on the Bears’ defensive back end.

Funny how that works!

Brisker’s history of standing on a soap box despite his not earning one is what gives me pause about his cringy compliment of the Bears’ secondary to start training camp. Seriously, this is the absolute last thing I want to hear from someone like Brisker:

Admittedly, the Bears’ defensive backs are good. They’re arguably the biggest reason Chicago had one of the NFL’s better defenses last season. Jaylon Johnson’s an All-Pro caliber cornerback, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon are young guys coming into their own, and Kevin Byard is a savvy vet who has been around the block long enough to make an impact.

If literally any one of those four other guys said the Bears’ secondary is like a team of famous superheroes, I’d be bouncing off the walls with excitement at the possibilities. When Brisker says it?

Hoo boy, I’m waiting for those same walls to cave in.

I won’t be one to tell Brisker how to approach his job. If talking like this is how he psyches himself up, so be it. But maybe just once, given his history of stepping on rakes, he could keep these kinds of thoughts to the locker room? It’s just a thought.

Bears OTAs: Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker among players absent for Friday’s practice

The Bears held their sixth and final OTA practice on Friday. Here are the players who were not present or did not practice.

The Chicago Bears wrapped up their sixth and final day of voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) on Friday. It was the second practice open to the media, giving those in attendance a chance to see how the team has improved from last week. As is the case for voluntary practices, though, there were a few notable players absent from Friday’s session—including much of the starting secondary.

Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon and safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard were not present. Wide receiver Keenan Allen and defensive end Montez Sweat, who missed last Thursday’s practice, were also absent once again.

Meanwhile, guard Nate Davis, defensive end DeMarcus Walker, and linebacker TJ Edwards were at practice but did not participate. Guard Teven Jenkins did not participate in team drills, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock.

With much of the starting secondary missing, the offense was able to capitalize with a strong practice. According to The Athletic’s Adam Jahns, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams completed 13 of 15 passes in 7-on-7 against the first-string defense. It was a strong day for the young signal caller, as he was able to bounce back from a rough outing last week.

As for why players like Johnson and Gordon were absent, head coach Matt Eberflus declined to go into specifics, but it is worth noting that Johnson has a charity outing for his foundation, “Kevvy’s Vision,” this weekend in California, per The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain. Eberflus expects everyone to be back next week, however, when mandatory minicamp gets underway. Those practices take place June 4–6.

Bears DC Eric Washington believes LBs and DBs among the best in NFL

Bears DC Eric Washington believes the team’s back seven is “as good a group as there is in the NFL.”

There are high expectations surrounding the Chicago Bears heading into the 2024 season, and rightfully so.

While there’s plenty of excitement surrounding this offense, especially with the addition of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the defense has been flying under the radar.

Chicago’s defense was among the worst in the NFL in the first half of the 2023 season, but they made huge strides and were a top-10 unit in the final leg of the season. The addition of Montez Sweat at the trade deadline was a huge reason why.

Now, the Bears are returning their young core — including re-signing All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson to a long-term deal — and expectations are high for this defense.

New defensive coordinator Eric Washington believes the pass rusher is better this year compared to the previous year. Although, it still needs some work. But Washington had high praise for Chicago’s linebackers and defensive backs, which he believes are among the best in the NFL.

“Our back seven, I think they’re as good a group as there is in the NFL,” Washington said. “I’m biased, but having a chance to be on the football field and watch them and watch the details, there’s a lot to be excited about.”

The Bears overhauled their linebacker group last offseason with the additions of T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds, and they were a big part of the defense’s success in 2023. Now, they’re back, along with Jack Sanborn, and looking to continue their dominance.

Chicago’s secondary is a young, ascending unit that made huge strides last season after struggling out of the gate. Johnson is the veteran anchor in that group, but there’s plenty of young defensive backs in place with Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker, Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith. They also added All-Pro veteran safety Kevin Byard in free agency.

With the improvements made — and the continued development of young talent — the ceiling is high for this Bears defense in 2024.

Jaquan Brisker organizing offseason workout with Bears secondary

Matt Eberflus says Jaquan Brisker is orchestrating a workout with the Bears defense in California.

It’s common practice for NFL players to enjoy the extended time off following yet another physically taxing season.

They’ll often make sure they stay in shape by participating in individual workouts before reporting to their team’s headquarters for the start of the offseason program in April and voluntary OTAs in May, taking their first step toward getting ready for the next season.

Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker didn’t want to wait that long. Brisker invited the entire secondary to work out with him in California, with head coach Matt Eberflus saying the safety is getting everyone together “as we speak.”

Eberflus also noted that he’s excited for longtime Titans safety Kevin Byard to join the defense this year — a unit that many project to be one of the NFL’s more formidable squads next season.

The players, coaches and front office are saying and doing all the right things this offseason. General manager Ryan Poles had made several smart and integral offseason signing and brought a decisive end to the Justin Fields-Caleb Williams debate, sending him to Pittsburgh; Eberflus is beginning to win the favor of the fans by being so involved in several pivotal moves in the last couple of months, and locker room leaders like Brisker are making the extra effort to build chemistry and allow new guys, like Byard, to get extra time with his new teammates.

It’s been a productive offseason so far, with even more firepower coming in the NFL draft in just under a month.

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Bears signing former All-Pro S Kevin Byard to 2-year deal

According to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, the Bears are signing former All-Pro safety Kevin Byard.

The Chicago Bears are signing former All-Pro safety Kevin Byard to a 2-year deal, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, after visiting the team a day earlier. The deal is worth $15 million.

Byard is a nine-year veteran who burst onto the scene with the Tennessee Titans and became one of the league’s best safeties during the end of the 2010s and early 2020s.

Byard was drafted by the Titans in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft and exploded during his second season when he had eight interceptions, which led to him earning All-Pro honors. He continued to be one of the better safeties in the game, totaling 27 interceptions in eight seasons. Last year, Byard was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in hopes of boosting their injury-depleted secondary. He combined for just one interception and three pass breakups to go along with 122 total tackles in 2023.

Now, Byard joins the Bears and takes over for Eddie Jackson, who was released last month. He is set to play next to Jaquan Brisker, giving Chicago another veteran defensive back to round out their secondary.

Eddie Jackson hints his Bears future is in doubt

Bears safety Eddie Jackson shared a few cryptic posts on social media suggesting his time in Chicago is coming to an end.

One of the longest-tenured Chicago Bears players might have played his final game in the navy and orange.

Safety Eddie Jackson took to social media on Thursday night and shared a few cryptic messages. He posted a few emojis on his Twitter/X account before adding a new message saying “New Beginnings.”

It was Jackson’s first post in over two months.

https://twitter.com/BoJack4/status/1755820348308664705

Shortly after, Jackson posted a story on his Instagram with a black screen and a caption that reads “All love Chi Town.”

It goes without saying that this is all speculation, but Jackson’s future with the Bears was always going to be murky heading into this offseason. He’s set to have a cap hit of over $18 million, the third-most on the team, heading into the final year of his deal. The Bears can cut Jackson and save $12.5 million. Given his injury issues the last couple years, as well as his play dipping once again in 2023, the writing seems to be on the wall for Jackson, and it sounds like he knows that too.

Jackson was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Alabama and burst onto the scene early in his career. He had 11 takeaways during his first two seasons and scored five defensive touchdowns during that time. Jackson earned two Pro Bowl nods and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2018.

His production dropped significantly beginning in 2020, and he never returned to those same heights, even while having a renaissance season in 2022 with four interceptions, before suffering a season-ending foot injury. Jackson is the second-longest tenured Bear behind Cody Whitehair and is the last member of the elite 2018 defense.

At the end of the season, Jackson spoke about his future and expressed his desire to remain a Bear. “I hope I’m here next year, but God always has a plan,” Jackson said via Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. “So I feel like I’ll always land on my feet. I hope it’s here. I know how it works in the business. I wish I could be here my whole entire career, but we know how this thing works. So you have to live in the moment.”

At his year-end press conference, general manager Ryan Poles admitted Jackson’s injuries impacted his play, but offered some praise for him, citing his communication skills and chemistry with Jaquan Brisker. “When Eddie was in you could tell Brisker felt really, really comfortable. That whole group, he really impacts the communication. You can really see that,” Poles said.

It’s possible Jackson’s recent social media activity is unrelated to his Chicago future, but it feels pretty calculated. His days in a Bears uniform are likely over.