As most NFL fans get ready for the start of the 2025 season, Bleacher Report quickly looked beyond this upcoming season.
In a recent article that served as a quick primer for the 2026 offseason, Alex Ballentine listed one player that every team should prioritize re-signing before the offseason begins. For the Chicago Bears, the selection was Jaquan Brisker.
"It's understandable that the Bears have taken a slow approach to giving Jaquan Brisker an early extension. He missed 12 games last season with a concussion and has had three over the last three seasons. However, any kind of return to what he was doing before the injury last season should see him return to Chicago.Alex Ballentine
He is a physical enforcer in the back seven. He has the kind of playstyle Dennis Allen should love as the new defensive coordinator. Fellow safety Kevin Byard is also set to be a 2026 free agent, so the Bears would have to replace both starters if they don't bring at least one of them back.
Brisker's age and production make him the better option."
Will the Chicago Bears re-sign Jaquan Brisker?
This is a bit of a surprise to some. Yes, Brisker is entering a contract year, but most fans would agree that this season is more of a make-or-break vibe than it is a season in which the team will prioritize signing Brisker out of fear of losing him.
The disconnect seems to be with how Brisker played in year two. Everyone can agree that Brisker was excellent as a rookie, and his trajectory was setting him towards a Pro Bowl-level player. However, year two was a plateau at best, and most saw it as a drop-off.
His play became more erratic, the big plays were more sporadic, and injuries started to come. He did not miss many games, but he left in the middle of far too many games.
Fans and analysts agree that year three was an injury-plagued nightmare. Ballentine seems to suggest that if Brisker gets back to his play in 2024, he would be worth an extension. However, most Bears fans would say that they want Brisker back to his 2023 play, and that his play in 2024 was fine, but may be worth having him hit the market.
Lastly, the article suggests that the team should sign Brisker because Kevin Byard III is expected to leave in free agency after this season. The idea is that they do not want to replace two starters. However, if Brisker is performing below his quality of play, the team should not just re-sign him to do it. Safety is one of the easiest positions to replace, and they could easily find two new starters for the spot.
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The Bears should have interest in re-signing Brisker, and if he plays well this season, he will be a priority in the offseason. However, for now, the priority for Brisker should be to play better than the last two seasons before he worries about what his contract will look like.