Bears reveal jersey numbers of their rookie class and some veteran changes too

Earlier today Chicago Bears safety Eddie Jackson announced plans to switch back to his jersey number from his Alabama days, and now the Bears have made that, and several other number changes, official for the 2021 season.

• Here are all the new jersey numbers announced for the veteran players on the Bears.

4: Eddie Jackson, safety - His previous number, 39, never looked right in my opinion. That’s a fullback number. The last Bears to wear 4 was Chase Daniel.

8: Damien Williams, running back - Williams was issued 26 when the Bears signed him as a free argent, but he’s taking advantage of the new uniform number rule that allows running backs to sport single digits. The last Bear to wear 8 was Tyler Bray.

10: Damiere Byrd, wide receiver - The free agent pick up will wear a number that a few Bears fans probably have hanging in their closet today.

15: Javon Wims, wide receiver - Wims was 83, but he now wears the number previously worn by new Colt Eddy Pineiro.

25: Artie Burns, cornerback - Burns will hope changing off #24 will bring him better luck as he missed all of last year with a torn ACL. Running back Lamar Miller last wore 25 during his brief stay with the Bears last year.

84: Marquise Goodwin, wide receiver - Goodwin, another free agent speedster, wears Cordarrelle Patterson’s old number.

• The Bears also announced what numbers their 2021 draft class will be wearing.

1: Justin Fields, quarterback - QB1 wearing number 1 is going to be so sweet. It shouldn’t take Fields too long to get the Cody Parkey stink off it.

24o: Khalil Herbert, running back - Herbert gets Burns’ old digits. FYI, Herbert was 21 at Virginia Tech, but that number was taken by a vet free agent.

27: Thomas Graham Jr., cornerback - Graham steps into the number that was worn for the last nine years by Sherrick McManis.

75: Larry Borom, tackle - Borom is a big man, but not quite as big as the last Bear to wear 75, Daniel McCullers.

76: Teven Jenkins, tackle - The last Chicago player to wear 76 was Abdullah Anderson, but the most famous Bear to don that number was another ornery player, Steve “Mongo” McMichael.

83: Dazz Newsome, receiver - Dazz dons Wims’ old 83.

95: Khyiris Tonga, nose tackle - Tonga gets a number last worn by Roy Robertson-Harris.

• While we’re talking about the rookies, let’s run down the numbers from the new UDFA class that was just announced.

6: Brian Johnson, kicker - No one has worn 6 in a game since Jay Cutler.

24d: Dionte Ruffin, defensive back - Ruffin shares a number with fellow rookie Herbert.

37o: CJ Marable, running back - Teez Tabor will wear 37 on the defense.

46d: Rojesterman Farris, cornerback - While 46 is a classic number in Chicago lore, it’s an awful number for a corner. He’ll share it this offseason with Artavis Pierce.

49d: Charles Snowden, defensive line - Snowden was a linebacker in college, which gets him a linebacker number, but the Bears list him at d-line. Something will need to be changed at some point.

49o: Scooter Harrington, tight end - Harrington and Snowden wear a number last issued to tight end Darion Clark (now 44) who spent all last year on injured reserve.

60d: Michael Pinckney, inside linebacker - What an awful ILB number. Dieter Eiselen has this on the offensive side of the ball.

62o: William Cervenka, offensive line - Eric Kush was the last Bear to get 62.

62d: Thomas Schaffer, defensive line - It’s never a good sign when two UDFAs share a number.

63o: Gunnar Vogel, offensive line - Lacale London wears the defense’s 63.

69: Dareuan Parker, offensive line - Parker was issued Rashaad Coward’s old number. I feel this one should have stayed away for a few years after being cleansed with some burning sage.

72: Daniel Archibong, defensive line - Charles Leno Jr. put a lot a miles on this number.

78: Sam Kamara, defensive line - Jason Spriggs spent more time in quarantine last year than he did in number 78.

86: Khalil McClain, wide receiver - Anyone else completely gloss over the old 86, Demetrius Harris era?

92: Caleb Johnson, linebacker - Brent Urban last rocked this number for the Bears.

• And now a few new faces that you may not have known which jersey they selected.

14: Andy Dalton, quarterback - Did you knw that Thomas Ives (now #19) had 14 for two years on the practice squad?

21: Desmond Trufant, cornerback - Jordan Lucas has 21 last year before he opted out, but now Lucas has Kyle Fuller’s old #23.

57: Christian Jones, linebacker - Ledarius Mack was the last Bear to be issued this number but now the younger Mack is #53. Did you know that this will be the third number Jones as worn as a Bear? He also spent time as 59 and 52.

70: Elijah Wilkinson, offensive line - Bobby Massie wore this number the last 5 years.

90: Angelo Blackson, defensive line - John Jenkins donned the 90 in 2020 for the Bears.