It was no secret that Eddie Jackson was arguably the best safety in the NFL in 2018. He had the stats to prove it from six interceptions to three defensive touchdowns. He was the type of ballhawk that every quarterback dreads and became a leader in the secondary of the best defense in football. His loss was certainly felt going into the playoffs as the Chicago Bears fell late against Philadelphia.
Expectations for him are high in Chicago. Some have even gone so far as to say the Hall of Fame is not out of the question for him, health permitting. The question is does the rest of the league hold a similar view of him? People got their answer when NFL Network debuted the 30-21 spots of their annual Top 100 rankings. Leading off the episode at #30? That’s right. Jackson is now the highest-ranked Bear in years.
While that reign will certainly be a short one, it’s no less deserving of what is turning out to be one of the great steals in recent franchise history.
Eddie Jackson is picking up right where he left off
It doesn’t seem like Jackson has any plans to be a one-year wonder either. No sooner had training camp begun down in Bourbonnais that he was the very first person to intercept a pass during drills. New defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano has seen this kind of skill set before. He coached it for years in Baltimore with Ed Reed. So it’s safe to say the veteran coach knows exactly how to use it properly.
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Provided that the front seven continues to apply pressure, there will be opportunities for Jackson to continue swiping passes. His instincts are the likes of which are rarely seen in professional football. He often knows where the ball is going almost at the same time the quarterback does. His ability to cut in front of passes is almost an art form. No doubt he’ll be placed higher in the rankings next year if this trend continues.
