The Chicago Bears are in a unique situation as free agency approaches. Both of their starting safeties from last season don't have a contract for next season (or beyond), and no less an authority than general manager Ryan Poles has made it very clear which of the two is a higher priority to bring back.
With that, Kevin Byard is more likely to be back in Chicago than Jaquan Brisker is. Byard led the league with seven interceptions last season and has become an important veteran leader. If the Bears don't re-sign him, he is sure to find a good market for his services
After suffering a concussion in each of the first three seasons, including a pretty severe-sounding one in 2024, Brisker started every game last season and played all but one defensive snap (including the playoffs). The 2025 season was a big one for him, in the final year of his rookie contract, and he answered the bell with 93 total tackles, eight pass breakups, and an interception.
Post-Combine buzz affirms bad news for Jaquan Brisker
After the NFL Combine and heading into the teeth of free agency, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report has Brisker among his seven free agents who may be disappointed by how the market for their services takes shape.
"Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles publicly mentioned All-Pro safety Kevin Byard as someone he wants to re-sign, which likely means the team will allow Jaquan Brisker to walk in free agency."
"Unlike Byard, who led the league with seven interceptions this past season, Brisker doesn't force turnovers at a high rate, and that could work against him on the open market."
"Unlike Byard, who led the league with seven interceptions this past season, Brisker doesn't force turnovers at a high rate, and that could work against him on the open market."
Brisker's skill set is more linebacker-esque than that of a ball-hawking safety. As Moton noted, that stands to impact what he'll get on the open market.
"Although Brisker can play both safety spots, he's best suited to line up closer to the line of scrimmage and attack downhill, given his reliable tackling and physicality. However, that particular skill set doesn't warrant a high-scale contract among safeties. The ball-hawking defenders get the big bucks."
A deep and talented group of safeties in this year's draft stands to hurt the free agent class at the position, with Brisker lined up to be among those who will be impacted the most.
"If clubs are more intrigued by incoming safety prospects than a tone-setting veteran with limitations in coverage, Brisker could fall well short of his projected $11.1 million yearly market value rate, an estimate from Spotrac."
Along with being productive, of course, Brisker needed to show he could stay healthy last season, and he did so on both fronts. But sometimes doing everything you had to do in a contract year is not enough to get you paid to the fullest extent, as circumstances outside your control take over.
Read more: Bears 'ideal' draft haul has Ryan Poles mixing needs with taking best-available
It will only take one team to buck the trend for Brisker. But the ship is starting to sail on him getting that aforementioned projected market value, or close to it.