Jackson emerges as unlikely candidate to win return job

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As the Bears search for their primary punt returner moving forward, a surprise name emerged: Eddie Jackson. Richard Hightower listed the Bears star safety first when discussing players in the competition for the job, along with Dante Pettis and Josh Blackwell, if coaches decide to move on from Velus Jones Jr.

“I’ve always been in love with it,” said Jackson. “I used to beg all the special teams coaches, like, ‘C’mon just give me one time! Let me back there and just give me one time!’

“I personally like the ball, so if I can get the ball in my hands, I’m perfectly fine with it. I’m not complaining.”

Jackson said when he was a rookie, the plan was for him to factor into the punt return competition. But coaches were aware that Jackson fractured his leg while returning a punt at Alabama in 2016, so when he won the starting safety job they didn’t want to risk another injury on special teams and they took him out of the competition. For that same reason, he’s probably not a real contender to win the returner job now. Jackson is too important on defense to risk losing on special teams, where players have higher chances of getting hurt.

Hightower knows what Jackson can do as a returner if he does get the chance, though. Hightower scouted Jackson’s return talents when Jackson was entering the draft, and was well aware of his 11 punt returns for 253 yards and two touchdowns as a senior at ‘Bama.

“I used to go to (Hightower) and he’d be like, ‘You know Eddie, you keep playin’, you might be back there for real.”

Whether or not Hightower is serious about giving Jackson a real chance as a returner, he’s definitely serious about how Jackson has helped during special teams periods.

“Every time we do drill work, he's back there running down as a gunner trying to help the young guys, or he's back there catching them himself,” Hightower said. “He does a lot of work that people don't see outside of defense to help young guys. I think he's a tremendous leader and he's having a really good season. He's a really good guy to have here. I've really enjoyed coaching Eddie.”

“I’m here to do whatever it takes for the team,” Jackson said. “They need me to play punt returner, I’ll do it. They want me to play gunner, kickoff, I’ll do that too. I know it’s late in my career, but hey, whatever it takes.”

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