Chicago Bears facing tricky contract decision with unpredictable star

The Chicago Bears have been very busy addressing their biggest needs this offseason, mostly to make life easier for quarterback Caleb Williams.

The Bears' additions have been largely praised in NFL circles, and some feel that Chicago has actually enjoyed the best offseason in the league.

However, the Bears are still facing some difficult decisions, and one of them comes in the form of a potential contract extension with safety Jaquan Brisker.

When healthy, Brisker is one of the better safeties in football, but that's just the problem: he has bene unable to stay on the field, specifically because of concussions. The 26-year-old has suffered three of them since entering the NFL in 2022, which certainly puts his future in jeopardy.

Brisker became eligible for an extension this offseason, but Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic feels that the Bears must tread carefully with the former second-round pick.

"Brisker is the Bears’ only surefire starter who is under 30 and in a contract year," Fishbain wrote. "Concussions have been a serious issue. The latest one — which occurred in Week 5 last season — kept Brisker out the rest of the year. He hasn’t been shy about his motivation. He’s gifted athletically and a vocal leader, a trait that was sorely missed last season, but concussions are unpredictable, putting risk on any potential extension."

The Penn State product played in just five game last season, logging 40 tackles and an interception during that stretch. He racked up 105 tackles, a pick, a couple of forced fumbles and nine passes defended the year prior.

Brisker is a critical part of Chicago's defense, but he also plays a position that isn't typically prioritized in the modern NFL. Couple that with Brisker's checkered medical history, and you can understand why the Bears may choose to go in a different direction.