Here’s a look at No. 3 on the list of top Bears players with something to prove. Check back throughout the week to see the next edition of the countdown.
No. 3 Jaquan Brisker
Position: Safety
Experience: Fourth season
Looking back: Brisker entered his third season as one of the young cornerstones of the Bears’ talented secondary. There were plenty of reasons there was hype surrounding Ryan Poles’ second selection as Bears general manager in 2022.
He made an instant impact in his first two seasons over 30 starts with his physical play. Brisker showed his ability to get to the quarterback as a safety with 5 sacks and 7 quarterback hits. That was on top of the 2 interceptions, 209 tackles, 8 for a loss, 11 passes defended and 3 forced fumbles he had.
But Brisker’s 2024 was derailed after he entered concussion protocol after the Bears’ Week 5 win over the Carolina Panthers. He missed the rest of the Bears’ 12 games last year after Brisker was placed on the injured reserve list in November. It was Brisker’s third diagnosed concussion since he joined the Bears.
Elijah Hicks stepped in and played well for Brisker along with veteran safety Kevin Byard III. But the Bears’ defense missed Brisker’s physical style and ability to get to whoever has the ball.
Looking ahead: Brisker enters a big season, to put it lightly. Not only could this year determine whether he stays with the Bears with one year left on his contract. It could also determine how other teams feel about him if he becomes a free agent next offseason.
There are questions about whether Brisker can stay healthy given his concussion history. Brisker told reporters in the spring that he never considered retiring from football. He also said he wasn’t going to change his physical playing style.
New Bears head coach Ben Johnson had to account for Brisker as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator. Although he hasn’t gotten a chance to see it during the spring because the pads weren’t on yet, Johnson was excited for the difference Brisker could make.
“We always told the receivers that they had to make sure they accounted for him,” Johnson said. “Can’t see that right now without the pads but you can certainly see an active player that he’s excited, he’s passionate about the game and he loves playing football. He likes to talk a little bit, too, which I appreciate.”
If Brisker can stay healthy and plays just like that, he figures to continue to be a young cornerstone of the Bears’ defense for years to come.
