Bears safety Eddie Jackson didn't enjoy the kind of remarkable season in 2019 that he had in 2018, but he still played at a high enough level to be picked for the NFC's Pro Bowl squad and remains widely considered one of the best young defensive playmakers in the game.
He was paid like one this offseason, too, when GM Ryan Pace inked Jackson to a four-year, $58 million extension making him the highest-paid safety in NFL history.
Jackson finished 2019 with 60 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble but was blanked in the touchdown column after scoring three in 2018. His Pro Football Focus grade dropped significantly in 2019 to 66.9, the lowest of his three-year career and a far cry from the elite 93.2 he scored in 2018.
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Jackson's regression was just another example of an overall down year for a Bears team that has too much talent to be an 8-8 club. He didn't bring the same magic to the secondary that Bears fans have become accustomed to seeing, but now that he's been paid like one of the best players in the NFL, you can bet he'll be motivated to play at that level next fall.
It'll be interesting to see who lines up next to Jackson come Week 1. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency and it's highly unlikely Chicago will pay two safeties at the top of the position's market. After playing his whole career with Adrian Amos and Clinton-Dix, Jackson could be headed for a 2020 season paired with an underachieving veteran or unheralded rookie. He'll have to up his game.
Fortunately, the Bears don't have to worry about losing Jackson anytime soon. Even if 2018 was his career-year, Jackson's overall skill-set will keep him in the top-tier of safeties for as long as he's healthy and in his prime.
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