The Super Bowl is over, which means that cap casualty season has started. This indicates that the question “Should the Eagles sign [literally any player I’ve even heard of before]?!” has also begun to circulate.
Notably, offensive tackle Cody Whitehair and seasoned safety Eddie Jackson were formally released by the Chicago Bears on Thursday in an effort to reduce payroll.
Jackson, who turned thirty in December, does appear to be a viable option for the Birds. When Vic Fangio, the new defensive coordinator for the Eagles, was still the Bears’ DC in 2017, the fourth-round pick was selected. Before Fangio took the helm as head coach of the Denver Broncos, the two played together for two seasons in Chicago. (Aside: Jackson spent two years at Alabama coaching alongside Joe Pannunzio, the assistant special teams coach for the Eagles.)
Playing for Fangio, Jackson made one of two career Pro Bowl appearances and earned his only first-team All-Pro recognition. He had eight interceptions in two years with Fangio and then just seven in his next five seasons combined.
So, can reuniting with Fangio help Jackson thrive again? Our friends over at Windy City Gridiron suggest that the veteran safety still has some gas left in the tank:
Jackson, a fourth-round pick in 2017, became an instant starter and electric player in the secondary for the Bears. He started exactly 100 games for Chicago, notching 15 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles and six touchdowns.
Jackson was a two-time Pro-Bowler and one-time first-team All-Pro. He was one of the most obvious cap casualties, saving the team over $12 million while carrying a dead cap hit of just $5.5 million, according to Spotrac.
His play hasn’t fallen off quite as much, although the ball production hasn’t been what it was earlier in his career, but his tackling was never a strong suit and definitely didn’t fit the mold that Matt Eberflus would want.
Poor tackling has indeed been an issue for Jackson, who is relatively undersized for his position. He actually turned in the worst missed tackle percentage of his career last year, according to Pro Football Reference.
But if Jackson wasn’t flawed at all, he wouldn’t be hitting the open market. The Eagles might be willing to live with his deficiencies if they feel like they can be a net positive under Fangio. There’s no denying Jackson has been a playmaker in the past.
The Eagles potentially have a need at safety with Kevin Byard widely expected to be a salary cap casualty. Cutting him clears over $13 million in cap space with just $1.386 million left in dead money.
Signing Jackson would give the Eagles a sure-fire short-term starter next to Reed Blankenship. The only other safety the team has under contract for 2024 is Sydney Brown, who is recovering from an ACL injury that might linger into next season.
