There was a time when Bears safety Eddie Jackson was considered among the best in the NFL, and he resembled his old self last season before suffering a season-ending foot injury.
ESPN shared their top safety rankings heading into the 2023 season, which is compiled by execs, coaches and scouts around the NFL. But there was one noticeable snub in the mix.
Jackson wasn’t among the top 10, nor did he land an honorable mention. He did receive votes, but not enough to garner recognition on the list. According to Dov Kleiman, Jackson received the second-most votes outside the honorable mention list.
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. Unfortunately, Jackson suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury that cut his season short.
If Jackson can return to his early 2022 form this season and be that playmaker in the secondary, there’s no question he should be in contention for next year’s top safeties list.
