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.
✌🏽✝️💚
— Eddie Jackson (@BoJack4) February 9, 2024
New Beginnings✝️
— Eddie Jackson (@BoJack4) February 9, 2024
Shortly after, Jackson posted a story on his Instagram with a black screen and a caption that reads “All love Chi Town.”
BoJack gone? pic.twitter.com/t9i3ztDEP5
— 79th & Halas Podcast (@79thAndHalas) February 9, 2024
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.
