Eddie Jackson is a name who has long been linked with the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Chicago Bear was surprisingly released on Thursday, and we can expect speculation to soar as a result. However, should the Eagles be interested in bringing Jackson in ahead of the 2024 season?
Should the Eagles be interested in Eddie Jackson?
The Chicago Bears released long-time Safety Eddie Jackson in a bid to get cheaper and younger at the position. Jackson joined the Bears in 2017 and arguably played his best football under one Vic Fangio, who now finds himself coordinating the Eagles defense in 2024.
The 30-year-old Alabama product actually made a Pro Bowl under Fangio’s guidance, as well as being named All-Pro. He was cerebral around the ball under the infamous coordinator, picking off 8 passes in 2 seasons, batting down 20 (15 in that incredible 2018 campaign).
Since then, things have somewhat slowed for the veteran. Jackson hasn’t played a full season since 2020 and he had a career-high missed tackle percentage of 17.8% in 2023, along with giving up a career-worst 19.8 yards per completion. He also graded out at just 58.8 according to PFF.
However, he was still a starter, playing in close to 90% of snaps. It’s the first time in his career he’s played fewer than 90%, showing that even in the wake of lingering foot injuries, he’s still durable enough to handle a starting load.
The Eagles do have a need at Safety
As much as Eddie Jackson shouldn’t be leaned on to be an impact player at 30-years-old on the back of a worrying season, he’s someone who clearly thrived under Vic Fangio and will be a schematic fit.
The Eagles do have both Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown as young safeties who will likely be entrenched as starters for years to come. However, Brown did tear his ACL toward the end of last season which could complicate the picture.
On top of that, the Eagles are likely going to be parting ways with Kevin Byard, who was unable to make a difference after arriving on the scene so late. Another veteran Safety, Byard’s departure will save the Eagles over $13M in cap space, and if they can use some of that money to bring in Eddie Jackson in a rotational role who could start in the opening few games while Brown recovers, it’s certainly not the worst idea.
What would Jackson’s role be in Philly?
2023 was clearly a sign of things slowing down for Eddie Jackson, but he’s still clearly good enough to be a fringe-level starter and could be available for a cheap price as a result. He does struggle with tackling and he’s not the ballhawk he used to be, but if he can bridge the gap until Sydney Brown returns, it could be worth taking a punt.
If the former Bear would then be happy to take on a more senior, rotational role upon Brown’s return, then bringing in someone who thrived under Fangio and who can help a very young group of players break down film and develop their skillsets could prove to be a great decision.
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