Chicago Bears: 5 Top targets in 2020 NFL free agency
2. Tony Jefferson, S
The Chicago Bears need for Eddie Jackson to be the dominating force he was for the first two seasons of his career. He had another good season in 2019 after moving from free safety to strong safety, it was just a very good season and not a sensational season. The Bears need that force of nature to return.
That means the likely departure of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. He also had a good season but not good enough to keep Jackson at strong safety. With that move, the Bears need to look for a strong safety.
They can look to Tony Jefferson for that help. He was a salary cap victim after the Baltimore Ravens saved $7 million for cutting him. He suffered a knee injury in Week 5 that cost him the rest of the season.
Jefferson was a leader for the Ravens both on and off the field. He helped his teammates in the secondary, was a big voice and leader in the locker room, and he made many charitable donations, including donating $20,000 to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico and other places in 2017.
Ravens general manager Eric De Costa had nothing but kind words after he made the necessary move to part ways with Jefferson, per NFL.com:
"This is the worst part of his business. Tony is the consummate teammate and someone who is respected by everyone for his leadership, determination, humility and toughness. He’s a friend to all…"
Jefferson again needs to prove his doubters wrong. He somehow dropped in the 2013 draft and went undrafted. He worked hard to make the Arizona Cardinals and again when he became a free agent in 2017 and became one of the top safeties in the league. Now he needs to show that he can still be an effective player.
Pace has shown that he’ll take a chance on players with health questions. He gave Allen Robinson a big free-agent contract while he was still recovering from a knee injury himself and he drafted Jackson in the fourth round when teams felt he wasn’t over the broken leg he suffered. Jefferson can be the next player who pays Pace back with good play.
If he does, the Jackson-Jefferson combo can be one of the toughest in the NFL.