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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 21: The Chicago Bears defense celebrates after a play against the Dallas Cowboys during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field on September 21, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears face several difficult decisions in free agency, but one national voice believes safety Jaquan Brisker should not be one of them.
CBS Sports writer Zachary Pereles recently identified Brisker as the one free agent Chicago must prioritize.
Pereles pointed to his versatility, age and strong playoff finish as reasons the Bears should make keeping him a priority.
He acknowledged Brisker’s uneven 2025 season, particularly in coverage, but emphasized the bigger picture:
The 26-year-old safety “moves all over the formation,” functioning as a blitzer, box defender and tone-setter against the run.
Most importantly, Brisker answered lingering durability concerns by playing a full season for the first time in his career after past concussion issues.
For a defense still evolving under Dennis Allen, Pereles suggested that kind of versatility and availability is difficult to replace.
Bears’ Playoff Run Showed Jaquan Brisker’s Upside
While Brisker’s regular season numbers were mixed, his postseason performance strengthened the case to keep him.
He finished the year with one interception and one sack but delivered arguably his best showing in the NFC Divisional Round.
Brisker finished the game with 14 total tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, two pass deflections and a quarterback hit.
He was quite literally everywhere.
That late surge reinforced the flashes that made him a second-round pick back in 2022.
According to Pro Football Focus, Brisker ranked 27th among 173 safeties in run defense this season.
He spent much of the season playing close to the line of scrimmage, logging 421 snaps in the box out of 1,220 total plays, including the postseason.
That role often required him to handle the dirty work in run support and underneath coverage.
These are responsibilities that don’t always show up in the stat sheet but are critical to how the defense functions.
He also graded 23rd among safeties as a blitzer, underscoring his disruptive potential near the line of scrimmage.
However, his coverage remains questionable.
After allowing a 71.5 passer rating before a season-ending concussion in 2024, Brisker surrendered five touchdowns and a 127.6 passer rating when targeted this past season, according to Pro Football Reference.
The inconsistency is apparent, but so is the upside.
Contract-Year Questions Complicate Bears Decision
Brisker entered 2025 with two major questions: could he stay healthy, and could he elevate his coverage play?
He answered the first by appearing in every game. The second remains less clear, which makes his market difficult to project.
The Bears already have significant financial considerations this offseason, and secondary depth is a broader issue.
Their secondary free agents include Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, Nahshon Wright, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Jonathan Owens, all key contributors in 2025.
Kevin Byard graded higher in certain defensive metrics, but Brisker’s heavier box usage reflects how Chicago relied on him to stabilize run defense.
Brisker is projected to command somewhere between $10 million and $14 million per year on the open market, with estimates ranging around three years and roughly $30-$33 million.
This is a price tag that could make retaining him a real financial challenge for Chicago.
Pereles’ argument ultimately centers on value versus replacement cost.
A young safety who can rush, tackle and play multiple alignments is not easily replicated.
With multiple key free agents in the secondary, the Bears will face difficult decisions about where to allocate their resources this offseason.