Will All-Pro Eddie Jackson reemerge for the Chicago Bears in 2021?
In his first two seasons in the NFL, Chicago Bears safety Eddie Jackson intercepted eight passes and recovered four fumbles. The former Alabama standout returned five of those takeaways for touchdowns, made first-team All-Pro in his second season and looked like a draft bargain as a fourth-round pick. In his next two seasons, Jackson intercepted two passes and recovered two fumbles. He returned one of the takeaways for a touchdown. In Jacksons first two seasons, Vic Fangio served as the Bears defensive coordinator. For the past two seasons, Chuck Pagano worked as Chicagos defensive coordinator. Jackson called both great coaches, and he earned his second Pro Bowl selection in 2019 and reached a career high with 82 tackles in 2020 under Pagano. But the All-Pro, big-play version of Eddie Jackson was mostly missing in Paganos defense. When Pagano retired after the 2020 season, the Bears hired Sean Desai as defensive coordinator after eight seasons as a Chicago assistant. When Fangio was the defensive coordinator, Desai sat next to him in the press box during games. In Fangios final season with Chicago, the Bears led the NFL in scoring defense before he left to become the Denver Broncos head coach in 2019. Vic has been my biggest mentor in the NFL, Desai said. He emphasizes on the same things that Coach Vic emphasized on with disguise purposes and just challenging us, Jackson said of Desai during the Bears mandatory minicamp. You know, coming in and challenging us every day on and off the field to be better players and teammates and things like that.  Desai has worked closely with Jackson. A defensive quality-control coach for the Bears from 2013 through 2018, Desai was Chicagos safeties coach the past two seasons. I was happy, man. I was very excited, Jackson said of Desais elevation. Just the relationship that me and Sean have and what hes been through. You know, hes been a guy behind the scenes for a very long time, even before I got here. Through the process of when I was here that was one of the guys that helped me most, you know, learning the plays, learning the schemes, so for him to get that type of promotion, man, its huge, and I feel like its well-deserved.  EDDIE JACKSON RELEASING BOJACKS CINNAMON TOAST SQUARES  Jackson also was happy about the re-signing of safety Tashaun Gipson this offseason. Jackson played 1,059 and Gipson played 1,054 of Chicagos 1,071 defensive snaps last season. To come back and have that chemistry, man, its huge, especially back there, Jackson said. Its like two guys on one tightrope with each other. Im in his head; hes in my head. And the type of athlete that Gip is, he brings a lot of stuff that we can use, me and him together and also for the defense that Sean can use for disguise purposes or you play this role or you play that role. Were both ready to make sacrifices to do what needs to be done to help this team win. But its very huge, and Im excited.  Jackson was not happy about the departure of cornerback Kyle Fuller, though. Like Jackson, Fuller was a first-team All-Pro selection in Fangios final season and a Pro Bowl pick in Paganos first season with Chicago. But Fuller became a salary-cup casualty this offseason. When released by the Bears, he almost immediately signed with the Broncos to join Fangio in Denver. I mean, I dont really question what the organization chooses to do, Jackson said, but what I can say is when you play this game, you build relationships with good people, and Kyle is like a brother to me, so of course I felt some type of way about it just seeing him leave. But you know, being a professional athlete thats a part of the game. Everybodys not going to spend their time on one team for their whole career, so thats kind of how this works. But I felt some type of way. Just the chemistry me and Kyle had built, me and him, he was the last guy that Ive been with here since Ive been here in the secondary, so to see him leave was kind of frustrating. But now weve just got a lot of young guys whos hungry, and they know its time to compete and time to step up.  EDDIE JACKSON CHANGING TO HIS ALABAMA NUMBER  Jackson did not participate in Chicagos Phase III practices, usually referred to as OTAs, this offseason, so he got his first look at the Bears new quarterbacks as teammates at mandatory minicamp. Mitch Trubisky started nine games and Nick Foles started seven at quarterback for Chicago in 2020. Trubisky is with the Buffalo Bills this season. Foles remains with the Bears, but Chicago signed Andy Dalton to start at quarterback, then drafted Ohio States Justin Fields with the 11th selection on April 29 as their quarterback-in-waiting. I watched Justin Fields, Jackson said. Obviously, he played against Bama, so just watching him in college, I was a fan of him. Just to see the type of leadership, the athleticism he brings. Obviously, we lost Mitch. We brung in Andy Dalton. Just to have a young, fire quarterback like that, its a sight, and Im just happy to compete with him and play with him.  The Chicago players are scheduled to report for training camp on July 27. The Bears play the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 14, Buffalo on Aug. 21 and Tennessee Titans on Aug. 28 in preseason games before kicking off their regular-season schedule against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 12. Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1. MORE NFL:   Former Alabama backup J.C. Hassenauer could be Steelers starting center in 2021   NFL All-Rookie selection Raekwon Davis: It wasnt a good season   Cam Newton feeding his focus with detractors   Vikings Irv Smith Jr. sticks to his diet in New Orleans   Las Vegas Raiders glad to have Alex Leatherwood   Nicholas Morrow: Hes going to do everything right   Challengers keep coming for Levi Wallaces starting spot with Bills   Pete Carroll predicts breakout season for Gerald Everett with Seahawks