The Chicago Bears kicked off the first day of organized team activities on Tuesday and although the media won't be allowed in attendance until Wednesday, we'll probably get some content leaked out by the team's social media page at some point soon.
During OTAs, the full 91-man roster is expected to be in attendance working with the new coaching staff on the field implementing the new schemes being put in place.
Seeing who's in attendance on the field, and who's not, this week will be an important storyline to follow, and we already got some exciting news on that front.
Bears' safety Jaquan Brisker shared some promising news on his X account Tuesday evening following the first day of OTAs that should excite Chicago fans.
"Ayo, I’m really BACK! It’s amazing actually. No Comparisons, I’m The Standard," Brisker posted on his social media.
This tweet likely means Brisker has no restrictions to participate in OTAs, a huge development for the fourth-year safety. Brisker suffered a concussion back in Week 5 of the 2024 season that forced him to miss the rest of the year.
It wasn't just the one concussion that was concerning, it's the fact that the concussion was the third one Brisker suffered in as many seasons. It'll be great to see Brisker back on the field again because the energy he brings on the field is infectious.
"He is fired up," general manager Ryan Poles said at the league meetings. "He wants to win, and he wants to be successful."
Since the Bears did add any true safety competition this offseason, having Brisker back in fold alongside Kevin Byard is going to be huge for the entire secondary. And after going up against him while calling plays for the Detroit Lions, head coach Ben Johnson already has laid out some of the things he wants to see Brisker work on.
“He's a guy that you’ve got to know where he is,” Johnson explained. “You’ve got to account for him. He likes to play down in the box. He likes to get involved. The one thing that I always thought that we could take advantage of was you could get him to have some bad eyes at times. So that’s the one thing we’ll take about, is to make sure he stays sound and he’s playing disciplined football. But he’s got a great skill set. I think he’s a heck of a football player."
The 2025 season will be a critical one for Brisker, and staying healthy needs to be a top priority. When he's on the field, Brisker is a baller. Prior to his Week 5 injury, he had 40 total tackles, one sack, one interception, and two pass deflections. He was all over the field and due for a big season.
Brisker can't afford to have similar injury concerns strike again heading into the final year of his rookie contract. Fellow 2022 second-round pick Kyler Gordon already received his well-deserved extension with the Bears and the team is rightfully hesitant in giving one to Brisker until he proves he can stay on the field.
Regardless, Brisker's presence will be evident on the field this week, and next, as he flys around with the rest of the defensive players at OTAs.
