The Philadelphia Eagles are in a perfect position to take advantage of the latest NFL bombshell that was dropped on Thursday afternoon.
The Eagles absolutely need an upgrade at safety and the Chicago Bears have just released veteran Pro Bowl defensive back Eddie Jackson.
Bingo.
Thank you for everything, BoJack 💙 pic.twitter.com/6rknmJRvas
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) February 15, 2024
Jackson, 30, was originally selected by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft and has been with them ever since.
Through seven seasons, Jackson started 118 of 124 career games for Chicago where he registered a total 15 interceptions, 44 passes defended, 10 forced fumbles and 459 tackles.
This past year was the only season that he did not start every single game.
He logged 37 tackles and one interception in 2023.
While Jackson is no longer in his prime, he would still offer consistency and great leadership to any team’s secondary that needs it, according to A to Z Sports’ beat writer Kole Noble.
“Jackson statistically had a down season in 2023 allowing over 200 yards and 3 touchdowns in coverage, per PFF,” Noble said. “However, his value to the Bears secondary was still evident through his veteran leadership. In a young secondary consisting of Jaquan Brisker, Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, and Tyrique Stevenson, Jackson’s voice continued to the one everyone turned to. His impact as a veteran presence was serviceable in Chicago but ultimately was no longer necessary, especially when factoring in the high cap hit he was expected to have in 2024.”
Jackson would be a quality addition to an Eagles safety room that could use a veteran spark with Kevin Byard failing to meet expectations and Reed Blankenship’s inconsistent production simply not cutting it.
It also helps that Jackson already has familiar ties to Philly’s new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio after having played two seasons under him in Chicago.