The 2023 offseason is officially in full swing, and the Chicago Bears are gearing up for what should be one of the busiest springs in recent memory.
Armed with $98.6 million in cap space, general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus will have plenty of opportunities to improve the team roster in free agency, while also needing to make key decisions on which players they should let walk.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the 2023 offseason. We’re wrapping things up on defense with safety, which is the strength of the defense heading into the offseason.
Who's on the roster?
- Eddie Jackson
- Jaquan Brisker
- Elijah Hicks
- A.J. Thomas
- Adrian Colbert
Jackson had a bounce back year in 2022, where he established himself as a defensive leader following the departures of Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn. After not notching an interception in the previous two seasons, Jackson led the Bears with four picks — and that was in just 12 games, as he missed the final five after suffering a season-ending foot injury. Jackson added 80 total tackles, including one for a loss, six pass breakups and led the team with two forced fumbles.
Brisker established himself as Ryan Poles’ best draft pick, where he showed his potential as a cornerstone member of this defense moving forward. Brisker led the team with four sacks and had the second-most tackles (104). He added five tackles for loss, one interception, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. While a concussion knocked him out two games, Brisker played nearly every snap on defense.
Hicks, a seventh-round rookie, served mostly in a reserve role on defense and was a special teams contributor. Hicks did get two starts on the year, including in the season finale against the Vikings, where he had his best outing with 11 total tackles and a forced fumble. Thomas, an undrafted rookie, appeared in five games in limited fashion, primarily on special teams. But he saw some action during to injuries in the secondary, where he totaled four tackles. Colbert was signed to the active roster after Jackson suffered a season-ending injury. He appeared in two games last season, where he played exclusively on special teams.
Who's slated to hit free agency?
- DeAndre Houston-Carson
- Dane Cruikshank
Houston-Carson has been one of the longest-tenured veterans on the team, and there’s a reason Poles brought him back on a one-year deal. Not only is Houston-Carson a leader on special teams, but he’s a key reserve at safety. After Jackson went down for the year in Week 11, Houston-Carson started the final six games of the season opposite Brisker. He totaled 45 tackles, including two for a loss, one interception, one pass deflection and one forced fumble for the season.
Cruikshank was brought in to be a situational contributor for the Bears on defense and special teams. He was someone who had earned a reputation for being able to step in and hold his own at safety. But Cruikshank struggled with injuries during training camp and the regular season, which limited him to eight games, where had totaled just one tackle on defense. Cruikshank was solid on special teams when healthy, but you have to imagine the Bears can find another contributor.
Who might join the Bears?
There are some big names at safety set to hit the free agent market. The group is headlined by names like Jordan Poyer, Jessie Bates III and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who should all be in for big pay days.
With that said, it’s hard to imagine the Bears making any significant moves at safety this offseason. Safety is the strongest position group on the roster, featuring a starting duo of Jackson and Brisker. If anything, bringing back Houston-Carson — or finding someone who can thrive in a similar role — will be important. With Hicks, Thomas and Colbert on the roster, it doesn’t appear like re-signing Cruikshank is a necessity.
Positional need: Low
There are questions all across the roster, but safety isn’t one of them. It’s no doubt the team’s biggest strength right now. That’s because of the duo of Jackson and Brisker, who are the perfect 1-2 punch at safety. While Jackson carries a team-high $17.09 cap hit in 2023, he’s coming off a bounce-back year that was cut short due to injury. Pairing him with a true strong safety in Brisker has done wonders. The biggest question facing the group is who will be the prime backup. Houston-Carson is hitting free agency, and it would make sense to bring him back — especially given he’s a leader on special teams.
2023 offseason position previews
We’re going position by position to preview the Bears this 2023 offseason:
| Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end |
| Offensive line | Edge rusher | Defensive line | Linebacker |
| Cornerback | Safety | Special teams (2/24) |
