Chicago Bears 2023 Roster Turnover: Not much to change at safety

If there's one position the Chicago Bears are pretty comfortable at, it's got to be safety. They could always use more depth as insurance, but their two starters consist of a veteran with All-Pro and Pro Bowl experience on his resume and a 2022 All-Rookie performer.

In this 12-part series, I'll list the current Chicago players' contract status on a position-by-position basis while speculating on some offseason moves that could happen.

Eddie Jackson - Signed through 2024 - Jackson bounced back in a big way after a down 2021 and was among the leading vote-getters for the Pro Bowl before he was injured. The 29-year-old had 80 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles in 12 games. His Lisfranc injury did not require surgery, and he should be good to go this offseason.

As for his contract, his cap hit is about $17 million in 2023, $18 million in 2014, and there's a void year in 2025 for $1.59 million. Considering how much cap space the Bears have this season, there's no need to make a move, but if his play slips, he could be a cap casualty next year.

Jaquan Brisker - Signed through 2025 - Brisker's versatility was on display all season long, and he got better as he gained comfort in the scheme. In 15 games, he had 73 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and a team-leading 4 sacks. I'm excited to see his year two jump.

DeAndre Houston-Carson - Free agent - DHC has carved out a nice niche for himself on the Bears as a core special teamer and spot starter at safety. His 9 special team tackles was second on the team, and he added a forced fumble in the third phase too. He'll turn 30 this April, but I think he will return on another one-year deal.

Dane Cruikshank - Free agent - The Bears wanted Cruikshank to play the third phase and provide some safety depth, but injuries limited him to just 8 games and 119 snaps on special teams. In 2021 he played in over 400 snaps on defense for the Titans, so perhaps Chicago will run him back on another one-year contract.

Elijah Hicks - Signed through 2025 - Hicks started 2 of the 15 games he appeared in and played in 55% of the third-phase snaps.

A.J. Thomas - Signed through 2023 - The rookie UDFA appeared in 5 games and will have a chance to win a reserve spot in 2023.

Adrian Colbert - Signed through 2023 - Colbert signed a reserve/futures contract after ending last season on Chicago's practice squad. The Bears are Colbert's 10th NFL team since being a seventh-round pick of the 'Niners in 2017, and he has 22 starts in 41 career games.

2023 OUTLOOK - I don't see the Bears spending anything significant at safety in free agency. Houston-Carson played on a third consecutive one-year contract in 2022 that was for $1,770,000, so I could see him returning around that figure to backup Jackson and Brisker.

Hicks, Thomas, and Colbert being under contract probably makes re-signing Cruikshank irrelevant. If they do target a veteran safety, it'll be a league-minimum situation to compete for a reserve role.

I could see the Bears pulling the trigger if there's a day three BPA situation at safety in the NFL Draft, but it's not a position they'll prioritize.

Do you think the Bears will bring in any new safeties this offseason?