Tag: Jaquan Brisker

Chicago Bears 2023 training camp preview: Safety

Up next in our Bears position previews is safety, led by the formidable duo of Jaquan Brisker and Eddie Jackson.

Chicago Bears training camp is just around the corner, so it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest.

We’re unveiling our Bears 2023 training camp position previews, breaking down every player by position and examining the group’s biggest question.

Rounding out the defense is the safety position, which looked vastly improved in 2022 thanks to rookie Jaquan Brisker and a return to form for veteran Eddie Jackson.

Brisker and Jackson once again are leading the way, but a couple of young players such as Elijah Hicks and Kendall Williamson could show something in camp as reserves.

Here’s a closer look at the Bears’ safeties heading into training camp:

4 causes of concern for the Bears heading into training camp

Optimism reigns supreme this time of year, but here are four major areas of concern for the Bears heading into training camp.

After a 2022 season that resulted in the Chicago Bears scraping together three wins, they are primed to take a major leap that could put the NFL on notice this upcoming season.

Fans and media alike are anticipating several key players to be right on the bleeding edge of taking their play to the next level. QB Justin Fields is expected to propel the formerly rudderless offense into a well-refined scoring machine, which can only bode well for other offensive players. Beneficiaries of the QB’s play could be WRs D.J. Moore and Darnell Mooney, RB Khalil Herbert, and TE Cole Kmet, among others.

On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Alan Williams’ squad is looking continue its strong play from the end of the 2022 season and work to complement the offense’s ability to score touchdowns with turnovers on the defensive end. Position groups such as the defensive backs and linebackers have the potential to elevate the Bears’ defense into a unit that opposing offenses will fear going against week in and week out.

While fans have good reason to be optimistic about the Bears as the squad buckles their chinstraps for training camp, the team also has some overt weaknesses that cannot be ignored. Whether it’s the issue of a very shallow defensive front four that has no proven starters or an offensive line that could severely hinder the offense’s ability to move the ball and score points, here are four causes for concern as the Bears prepare for training camp.

Madden 24: See the ratings for Bears receivers, safeties

Madden 24 has released ratings for wide receivers and safeties. See the Bears’ players ratings:

The Chicago Bears are coming off a three-win season that culminated in a 10-game losing streak. Still, there’s plenty of optimism heading into the 2023 season following an impactful offseason.

EA Sports has started unveiling Madden 24 ratings, starting with wide receivers and safeties, where notable Bears players DJ Moore, Eddie Jackson, Darnell Mooney and Jaquan Brisker led the way for Chicago.

Here’s a look at the Madden 24 ratings for qualifying Bears wide receivers and safeties:

Where Bears’ Eddie Jackson, Jaquan Brisker rank among safeties in Madden 24

See the ratings that Bears safeties Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker notched in Madden 24.

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The Bears’ safety duo of Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker has the potential to become one the best in the NFL, and things are only looking up heading into the 2023 season.

Brisker is coming off an encouraging rookie season while Jackson returned to his playmaker form before suffering a season-ending injury last November.

EA Sports has started releasing Madden 24 ratings, starting with safety. Neither Jackson nor Brisker were ranked among the top 10 safeties, and you could argue that their ratings are too low.

Jackson ranked 18th among safeties with an 85 rating. Jackson had a bounce back year in 2022, where he looked like the impact player he was in his first couple of seasons. After not notching an interception in the previous two years, Jackson led the Bears with four picks. Jackson added 80 total tackles, including one for a loss, six pass breakups and led the team with two forced fumbles.

Meanwhile, Brisker ranked 46th among safeties with an 78 rating. Brisker led the team with 4.0 sacks and had the second-most tackles (104), as well as recorded two takeaways on the season. He was solid against the run and in coverage, although he struggled with tackling at times. Brisker was the perfect complement for Jackson, and he stood out with his physicality and playmaking ability on a defense that was lacking in a lot of areas.

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Bears LB Jack Sanborn ‘ready to hit the ground running’ for training camp

Bears LB Jack Sanborn is ready for training camp, where he’s 100% after recovering from his ankle injury.

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The 2022 season was an overall disappointing outing for the Chicago Bears, as nagging injuries and inadequate play culminated in the club only scoring three wins in 17 games. The season wasn’t all doom and gloom, however; several players took hold of their opportunities and made the best of them.

Quarterback Justin Fields is the prime example, of course, but there were other players who displayed growth in their roles, such as safety Jaquan Brisker, cornerback Kyler Gordon and, most surprisingly, undrafted rookie linebacker Jack Sanborn.

Wisconsin’s own Sanborn became a real diamond in the rough for a Bears team that desperately needed a spark at the linebacker position, especially after former Bears All-Pro Roquan Smith was traded to the Ravens.

Sanborn’s quietly solid season came to an end after an ankle injury in a late-season matchup against the Eagles placed him on the injured/reserved list. Both the fans and media had some concerns that the injury may keep the young linebacker out of training camp, but Sanborn put those worries to rest in a recent interview with ESPN 1000 Bears Weekly, in which he confirms that he’s “ready to hit the ground running.”

The hosts of the show, former Bears Tom Thayer and Jim Miller, asked Sanborn about the sort of topics he discussed with the front office during his end-of-season exit interview.

“We all understood what the main goal was, the main goal was getting healthy,” Sanborn said. “Getting my ankle to 100%. And obviously, I didn’t do OTAs and do minicamp, (I) just really focused on trying to getting back, and getting back to 100%…

“I’ve kind of made my offseason a little different… but I think, at the same, I’ve made the most of it, you know, trying to get better at different areas… and yeah, I think, everyone’s comfortable. I’m very comfortable with where I’m at right now… yeah, (I’m) ready to hit the ground running in a week or so, and, you know, start year two.”

Sanborn’s readiness for his sophomore year is an exciting prospect for Bears fans, considering general manager Ryan Poles committed to rebuilding the linebacker position in the offseason, signing the Bills’ Tremaine Edmunds and the Eagles’ T.J. Edwards. Add Sanborn into the mix, and that creates one frightening position group that will punish anyone daring enough to challenge the linebackers over the middle.

Sanborn filled up the stat sheet in his debut season, recording 64 tackles, one fumble recovery, and two sacks.

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30 Most Important Bears of 2023: No. 11 Jaquan Brisker

At No. 11 in our 30 Most Important Bears of 2023 is Jaquan Brisker, a player who could be on the verge of stardom this season.

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2023 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.

Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2023 season. We’ll recap their 2022 season, look ahead to 2023 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.

Up next at No. 11 is safety Jaquan Brisker, the standout rookie from last year who could be on the verge of stardom this season.

4 biggest needs on the Bears roster ahead of training camp

Ahead of training camp, we’re taking a look at the Bears’ remaining roster needs.

The Chicago Bears are just over a week away from the start of training camp. There will be some new faces on the team, including key pieces in wide receiver DJ Moore, linebackers Tremaine Edmund and T.J. Edwards, and defensive tackle Andrew Billings.

Despite those additions, the Bears still have holes that need to be addressed. General manager Ryan Poles deserves a lot of credit for almost single handily revamping the team this quickly.

The teardown of the Bears doesn’t come with its downfall though, as there are some issues that need to be addressed, and some of those issues could be enough to hold this team back for one more season.

Let’s take a look at the four biggest holes on the Bears’ roster.

Bears players poised for breakout season in 2023

Which player is primed for a breakout season in 2023? Our Bears Wire staff make their picks.

The Chicago Bears wrapped the 2022 season with a 3-14 record and a 10-game losing streak. Despite finishing with the worst record in the league, there’s plenty of optimism surrounding the team heading into 2023.

While there are some new faces who should help contribute this season, there are plenty of returning veterans who are primed to make a significant impact as Chicago looks to return to prominence.

With that in mind, our Bears Wire staff is sharing their thoughts on which players are poised for a breakout season in 2023.

Bears safety Jaquan Brisker promises a ‘different No. 9’ this season

Jaquan Brisker breakout season incoming?

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Bears safety Jaquan Brisker wasn’t satisfied with how his rookie season unfolded. That’s to be expected when your team goes 3-14 and the defense struggles.

But Brisker fared better than a lot of his fellow rookies, showing potential as a physical strong safety on a bad Bears defense. Brisker moved all around on defense, whether that was in the box, battling slot receivers or blitzing. He led the team with 4.0 sacks and had the second-most tackles (104). Brisker was solid against the run and in coverage, although he showed room for improvement as a tackler.

Following his first season and a beneficial offseason, Brisker already feels more like himself in this defense.

“I felt like I could have been more involved in the defense,” he said. “This year, I feel a lot more comfortable with the coaches, with the defense and the players. I feel like myself. I feel like it’s going to be a way different year than it was last year.”

Brisker already feels the difference during voluntary workouts, where he’s more confident and in control, and that could lead to a breakout season for the second-year safety.

“Last year I was just moving too fast,” Brisker said. “I caught up to the game, but I messed up my thumb. When I came back, I was trying to move too fast instead of being under control, being myself, making plays and not giving up certain things or not being consistent.

“Usually I’m a consistent leader. You see it during the OTAs this year — a lot different energy. I’m flying around playing both safeties. So definitely going to get a different [No.] 9 this year.”

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Justin Fields-DJ Moore connection drawing rave reviews at Bears OTAs

Justin Fields and DJ Moore are looking like they can be something special for the Bears.

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The Chicago Bears are hoping quarterback Justin Fields and wide receiver DJ Moore can become something special on offense, and it’s already evident during offseason workouts.

Safety Jaquan Brisker has gone against Fields and Moore throughout organized team activities, and he’s been surprised by how quickly Fields and Moore have developed what appears to be a special connection.

“It look like they got that chemistry going very fast, earlier than I expected,” Brisker said. “They look good, though. They look like they best friends. Justin’s definitely throwing him the ball. Two’s getting the ball, no doubt. Justin looks good, though. He’s going through his progressions. He’s looking very smooth, making good decisions out there, and looking like the best quarterback in the NFL. I thought that last year, but this year it’s different.”

The Bears acquired Moore in a trade of the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, finally giving Fields the No. 1 receiver he’s been missing. Brisker has already noticed the impact of having that bonafide option for Fields.

“I’d say it is a big difference because he has his receiver out there that he wants and that he knows he can trust and throw it to,” Brisker said. “I won’t say anything bad from last year, but just compared to last year, he just looks different. It’s a different energy. And you know that feeling when you’re out there looking, and you see 1 and 2 going out there, and he’s throwing that ball to 2, and he’s getting it, he’s catching it. It’s timing routes, and it’s on time. So it’s a different chemistry right now.

“And it’s just OTAs, they just started, so the sky’s the limit for them for sure. For Justin, for DJ, and for that offense. Sky is the limit. You’re going to see.”

While it’s easy to overreact to unpadded practices in June, it’s hard to ignore that Fields and Moore’s chemistry has been the talk of the offseason. The hope is that it’s the start of something great.

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