Safety Eddie Jackson couldn't participate fully in the Chicago Bears' offseason program after joining the NFL team as a fourth-round draft choice out of Alabama in April. He hadn't fully put behind him the broken leg suffered on Oct. 22 while returning a punt for the Crimson Tide.
The Bears seemed well-stocked at safety anyway, with starters Adrian Amos and Harold Jones-Quartey returning from last season and nine-year veteran Quintin Demps coming aboard in free agency.
But in Chicago's four games this season, Jackson has been on the field for all but two of the Bears' 249 defensive snaps.