This Chicago Bears safety is ready to breakout in Year 2
Every year, it seems like a new player has a breakout season and becomes a bonafide star in the league. Is a breakout season in store for Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker?
It's entirely possible that Brisker receives his first Pro Bowl nod this year. It might seem like a bold prediction when you factor in how deep the safety position is across the league, but Brisker is most definitely a dark horse pick.
Make no mistake, the second-round pick from the 2022 draft has lived up to the hype coming out of Penn State. Brisker racked up 104 total tackles, four sacks, and an interception for the Bears last season.
Jaquan Brisker should have a breakout season for the Chicago Bears
Those numbers were excellent for a rookie. Brisker had virtually no learning curve when adjusting to the NFL. Yes, these numbers are a little inflated because the rookie got the chance to start on a rebuilding team, but Brisker's productivity is no fluke. The rookie proved he belongs in the league. It's time he elevates his game, and the Bears' entire defense, to new heights this season.
Brisker will have a lot of opportunities to make something happen. The Penn State standout should see his heavy snap count remain the same from last season. His 104 tackles, an eye-opening number for a safety, might decrease because the Chicago Bears invested in hard-nosed linebackers T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds to strengthen the front seven.
Brisker will still make an impact as a run stuffer and in pass coverage. If anything, the new additions at linebacker will take pressure off Brisker and allow him to play loose, making his game better. He won't have to step into the box to make a play as much with Edwards and Edmunds up front.
An X-factor Brisker has going for him is the fact he plays in Chicago. Historically speaking, Pro Bowl voters almost always favor players on big-market teams like Chicago. Will the voters rest their case on a big-market player like Brisker, or will they vote for the starting safety of the Jacksonville Jaguars?
Chicago Bears fans haven't had a whole lot to cheer for in recent years. Yet Brisker doesn't have to win the award out of pity. If Brisker, one of the brightest talents on a young team, can anchor the defense to a playoff berth, it will only bolster his Pro Bowl chances.
The numbers, leadership, and intangibles are there. The NFL just needs to take notice of Brisker as his career progresses
If Brisker does make the Pro Bowl, he'd be the first Bears safety to receive the honor since Eddie Jackson made it in 2019. At just 24 years old, he'd also be one of the youngest Pro Bowls in the Bears' proud history.
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Regardless of whether Brisker makes his first Pro Bowl next season, Chicago Bears fans should be happy he's their team's last line of defense.