PALM BEACH, Fla. — As Bears general manager Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus sorted out which players fit their long-term plans and which needed to be cleared out to gain draft picks and financial flexibility, safety Eddie Jackson’s massive contract presented a tough call.
Two years ago, it made perfect sense for the Bears to make Jackson the NFL’s highest-paid safety with a massive contract extension. But the player who earned that deal has gone missing.
There has been less ball-hawking and more business decisions. Tackling has been a major issue. He’s been unreliable.
But rather than trade Jackson or cut him to save some salary-cap space, Poles and Eberflus saw an opportunity.