Eddie Jackson inks huge extension

[JAF-N72EX]

7 hours ago, abstract_thought said:

He's now being paid the highest AAV of any safety in the league. The contract he was given set that standard.

My main reservation is that he's had 1 good season and it was under a different DC. This deal could have waited another year to make sure he can still perform at a high level under Pagano. The Bears had almost nothing to lose by waiting.

The longer they waited, the more it was going to cost. I think some people are forgetting that this was an extension, NOT a new contract! His rookie deal is still in place.  Think about what it would cost if Pace waited for one or two years? 

The value of quality safeties has been rising over the last few years or so. Remember, just a year ago the Packers gave Amos 9M per year, making him the 10th highest-paid safety in the league. 

The market was going to be reset anyways just like it does every year, so it makes the most sense to let EJ set the market value before anyone else does. 

The highest AAV, yes, but only by 500k, and don't expect EJ's highest AAV to last much longer with players such as; Adams, McCourty, Simmons, and Baker (just to name a few) who are already in talks with the front offices about their contracts this year.

Also, the 33M total guaranteed money is still not the highest and pales in comparison to 44.5M that Landon Collins received last year in the open market.

 

[JAF-N72EX]

4 hours ago, Heinz D. said:

15 hours ago, JustAnotherFan said:

I remember the majority of you jumping up and down when Fuller got paid top-5 CB money with only 1 good year out of 4, but you guys have a problem with paying EJ top-5 money after having 2 consecutive good seasons?! I just don't get it...

A lot of us thought paying Fuller was a mistake. Considering he essentially quit on the team the season before, I still think it was a bad decision. Luckily it paid off. And the people hesitant about paying Jackson agree he had two consecutive good seasons. Last season simply wasn't one of them. Should we now pay Trubisky, too? 

A lot of people were happy about the deal. Mitch is a bad analogy. He has never had a good season, and certainly never played like the best at his position. EJ has.

4 hours ago, Heinz D. said:

I remember the bad angles, poor tackling, and mental mistakes just fine, thank you very much.

He had nearly the same missed tackle rate this season as he did a year ago, and even graded out better in some aspects, depending on who you ask.
Per SIS

• 2018: 38 solo tackles, 12 missed tackles, 24% rate 
• 2019: 49 solo tackles, 13 missed tackles, 21% rate

Per SR

• 2018: 11 missed tackles, 18% rate
• 2019: 11 missed tackles, 16% rate

Calling Prince garbage was hyperbole but the point still stands.

[JAF-N72EX]

19 hours ago, Sugashane said:

As soon as Hicks went down Pagano pulled him down to help vs the run a LOT more it seemed. That definitely hurt his production, it is like putting Kwiatkoski on an athletic TE in man or Floyd in a straight passrush... it's against their strengths. He did get beat deep a few weeks straight which was alarming but he righted the ship and we don't know if there was an adjustment that wasn't relayed correctly or what. 

That being said I feel fine about the extension. His potential is off the charts and if he gets to play deep more, which I'm sure he will, then he will again play at an elite level. 

Not to mention that both ILBers (Smith and Tre) were getting beat in their assignments by quick check downs to RB's in man coverage, &/or TE's and WR's coming into their zone in zone coverage. This also made the pass rush less effective because it allowed the QB to get the ball out quicker. 

So Pagano had to do something to help. What does he do? start using his most athletic defensive player with the most range to play more like a hybrid safety/NB/LB. 

And It only made matters worse when Smith and Tre went down with injuries and Pagano was stuck with two backups in the middle. (Kwiat is NOT a legit starter, and neither is KP).

Edited January 5, 2020 by JustAnotherFan

[topwop1]

On 1/4/2020 at 1:24 AM, JustAnotherFan said:

I'd love to hear an argument about being mediocre this year?

My argument is based on what I saw watching all 15 games this season aside from the last one vs Vikings.

He just didn't stand out to me this past season as he did in 2018 or even in his rookie year. 

Perhaps that's due to HHCD having occupied more of Jackson's role the previous 2 years....I don't know...but I didn't think he earned all that money just yet...but then again I'm just a fan and it's not my money. 

[JAF-N72EX]

21 hours ago, topwop1 said:

My argument is based on what I saw watching all 15 games this season aside from the last one vs Vikings.

He just didn't stand out to me this past season as he did in 2018 or even in his rookie year. 

Perhaps that's due to HHCD having occupied more of Jackson's role the previous 2 years....I don't know...but I didn't think he earned all that money just yet...but then again I'm just a fan and it's not my money. 

I disagree with your outlook, and I've given my reason as to why, but I respect it nonetheless.

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

Bill Zimmerman has a podcast called Bears Banter, which I usually find just OK (I enjoy the H&J one best) but the recent one which I'm only partway done with makes a lot of points I really agree with.  Relevenant to Jackson, he pointed out that while HHCD was a great hire and good value, his being best at FS forced Jackson to play the SS role instead, and while Jackson was pretty good there it takes away his game-changing play ability. I really liked that point and feel it explains Jackson's production this year.  I still think he played well, and agree that getting a more natural SS will boost Jackson's stats. 

The podcast had some other good points:

-The presser was all BS, the only thing that matters is that they didn't 5th yr Trubisky even though it would be the natural time for it, tells you everything you need to know.

-Floyd  may not be what we wanted with a game changing rusher, but is very good overall and would be tough to get a better value for similar play in FA (kinda agree)

-ILB has a good problem, where you can keep one or both Kwiatkowski or Trevathan but not both, better to keep Kwit even if similar values. (agree)

 

Good podcast if you're stuck driving around!

[abstract_thought]

2 hours ago, RunningVaccs said:

Bill Zimmerman has a podcast called Bears Banter, which I usually find just OK (I enjoy the H&J one best) but the recent one which I'm only partway done with makes a lot of points I really agree with.  Relevenant to Jackson, he pointed out that while HHCD was a great hire and good value, his being best at FS forced Jackson to play the SS role instead, and while Jackson was pretty good there it takes away his game-changing play ability. I really liked that point and feel it explains Jackson's production this year.  I still think he played well, and agree that getting a more natural SS will boost Jackson's stats. 

The podcast had some other good points:

-The presser was all BS, the only thing that matters is that they didn't 5th yr Trubisky even though it would be the natural time for it, tells you everything you need to know.

-Floyd  may not be what we wanted with a game changing rusher, but is very good overall and would be tough to get a better value for similar play in FA (kinda agree)

-ILB has a good problem, where you can keep one or both Kwiatkowski or Trevathan but not both, better to keep Kwit even if similar values. (agree)

 

Good podcast if you're stuck driving around!

I agree with this. My biggest reservation is that we’ve seen safeties play well for Fangio but never replicate that level of play for other DCs. He’s pretty much a genius in making coverage calls during the game.

With Jackson you have to hope the drop off was due to his role and not the absence of Fangio.

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

13 minutes ago, abstract_thought said:

I agree with this. My biggest reservation is that we’ve seen safeties play well for Fangio but never replicate that level of play for other DCs. He’s pretty much a genius in making coverage calls during the game.

With Jackson you have to hope the drop off was due to his role and not the absence of Fangio.

You make a really good point about Fangio and the backs, hopefully Pace considered that as well.

I still think there are a couple other changes that may have affected Jackson more:  he changed his wingman from someone who excelled at being the run stopper and in the box guy to the opposite, and (forget who on here pointed it out) he also moved a lot closer to the line when Hicks went out.  Hopefully if HHCD leaves we can get a (cheaper) prototypical strong safety and Jackson can go back to roaming around annoying Aaron Rodgers. 

[Sugashane]

4 hours ago, RunningVaccs said:

You make a really good point about Fangio and the backs, hopefully Pace considered that as well.

I still think there are a couple other changes that may have affected Jackson more:  he changed his wingman from someone who excelled at being the run stopper and in the box guy to the opposite, and (forget who on here pointed it out) he also moved a lot closer to the line when Hicks went out.  Hopefully if HHCD leaves we can get a (cheaper) prototypical strong safety and Jackson can go back to roaming around annoying Aaron Rodgers. 

I'd be happy with bulking up the front 7 with 1-2 more big bodies that excel vs the run (to push more 3rd and longs) and even having a cover two look more frequently on obvious passing downs. Have him the opposite side of Fuller since Fuller already prefers to play off-man and then have the more secure tackler cover him since Fuller will break on the ball more and potentially whiff. Let Jackson sit back, read the QB, and make a break on anything deep on the other half of the field. 

You could do the same with cover 3 variants and such but just easier to put into perspective with the cover 2. 

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

11 minutes ago, Sugashane said:

I'd be happy with bulking up the front 7 with 1-2 more big bodies that excel vs the run (to push more 3rd and longs) and even having a cover two look more frequently on obvious passing downs. Have him the opposite side of Fuller since Fuller already prefers to play off-man and then have the more secure tackler cover him since Fuller will break on the ball more and potentially whiff. Let Jackson sit back, read the QB, and make a break on anything deep on the other half of the field. 

You could do the same with cover 3 variants and such but just easier to put into perspective with the cover 2. 

Interesting. You could make a point that whoever our number two corner back is affects Jackson as much as the other safety. 

 

To the saved Bears games!