The Chicago Bears cut Eddie Jackson in a move that made plenty of sense. They will save over $12M on the salary cap, which is plenty of money to sign a notable safety, and then still have some left over.
If the Chicago Bears are looking into free agency to replace Jackson, they will want to sign a free safety that helps keep Jaquan Brisker in the box. Which players are good fits this offseason?
5. Is Geno Stone a great fit with the Chicago Bears in free agency?
If the Chicago Bears want the top free safety on the market, they may be looking at Geno Stone. Stone was a backup for the Baltimore Ravens until Marcus Williams went down, and he replaced him at free safety. All Stone did was record seven interceptions last season as one of the best ball hawks in the NFL.
Now, Stone is set to be a free agent, and Marcus Williams is healthy. The Ravens also have Kyle Hamilton and a cap situation that is getting tough to navigate. The odds of Stone hitting the market are high.
Stone would be a great fit with Jaquan Brisker, and the two played football in high school in a similar at a similar time. For Stone, he was a backup last year, so getting starter money, commitment beyond this year, and a job in a scheme that makes sense for him seems like a no-brainer. Do not be surprised if the Chicago Bears are contenders for Geno Stone.
4. Should the Chicago Bears pursue Jordan Whitehead this offseason?
Geno Stone and Jaquan Brisker both grew up in the Pittsburgh area, but so did Jordan Whitehead, who went to Pitt. He started his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but really broke out last year with the New York Jets.
One of the big differences between his time with the Bucs and the Jets is that he started to play the deep safety role a lot more. For example, he had 1,213 snaps as the free safety in the Bucs' defense over four years. In two years, he had 1,23 snaps as the free safety in the back end.
This has caused Whitehead to play at his best. Now, he is set to hit free agency again and his stock is much higher than the first time around. He knows how this goes and will likely want to hold out for the highest bidder. It may help that the Chicago Bears hold the cap situation cards as we enter the offseason. Simply put, if the Bears think Whitehead is a fit next to Jaquan Brisker, nothing can stop them from making it happen. Does it happen?
3. Would the Chicago Bears be interested in signing Alohi Gillman?
Alohi Gillman is an interesting fit for the Chicago Bears. The former sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame took some time to get his chance, but when he did, he flourished. Gillman was mostly depth for the first two years, but injuries caused him to jump into the mix in 2021. He won the job with his play and entered the offseason as the starter next to Derwin James.
Gillman was great in his first full year as a starter. With the drop in play from James, you could not tell which made more of an impact on the 2023 season. Now, Gillman is set to hit free agency at the right time.
He is so interesting because he came into the NFL profiling more as a box safety, and he spent his first year or so behind Derwin James and not next to him. However, he thrived playing deep and showed that he could excel next to a true box safety such as James.
Does Gillman want to play that deep role, or will he look to get back into a combination role and a fit he likes? It will be interesting to see where he decides to play next year and how much he gets paid after that strong season.
2. The Chicago Bears should be interested in Jordan Fuller in free agency
Jordan Fuller has been an excellent find for the Los Angeles Rams, and hitting on him as a starter in the sixth round is how the Rams have been able to compete consistently despite the lack of draft resources. Now, he is a free agent, and the Rams do not have the cap space to dish out. They may lean back on finding a day-three option to fill in for Fuller. Does that make him available for the Chicago Bears to sign him?
Fuller came in as a rookie and took over after injuries pushed him. He was even better in 2021 when the Rams won the Super Bowl. An injury in 2022 was a part of a disastrous season for the Rams, but when he returned, the Rams’ defense returned to the playoffs.
Fuller is still more of a combination safety, but they definitely played more on the back end, especially last year. While he does not have Jackson's ball skills, he does a great job of avoiding explosive plays, which is exactly what Matt Eberflus wants from his safety play.
Fuller may be the best scheme fit and the best value of all of the available safeties this offseason. Will the Chicago Bears make an offer?
1. Is Deshon Elliott a fit with the Chicago Bears defense?
Deshon Elliott will be a name to watch in free agency this offseason. He was a sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens back in 2019 and spent three years there before moving to the Detroit Lions for the final season of his rookie deal.
Elliott signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency and found himself starting for the entirety of the season. He came from a Vic Fangio defense and played free safety, so he could certainly fit the bill as an Eddie Jackson replacement.
Elliott is about three years younger than Eddie Jackson and has far fewer injury questions. Elliott also will not come at the same cost. You can expect him to sign for less than the $12.5M the Bears saved by cutting Jackson. This fit makes sense. Will it happen?