Chicago Bears: 5 Bold predictions for Week 1 vs. Lions

5. Jackson shows why moving him was a mistake

After letting strong safety Adrian Amos walk via free agency in 2019, the Bears needed a replacement. Instead of looking for another strong safety, they decided that moving All-Pro free safety Eddie Jackson to strong safety and signing free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was the way to go.

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Neither player had a bad season. In fact, Jackson went to another Pro Bowl. However, he wasn’t the same dominant player he was. In his first two seasons, he recorded eight interceptions, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and five touchdowns (three pick-sixes and two fumble recoveries). In 2019, though, he only had two interceptions, a forced and a recovered fumble and zero touchdowns.

Clinton-Dix had two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and two fumble recoveries.  He had a decent season but considering what Jackson was doing when he manned that position, Clinton-Dix’s production wasn’t enough to keep Jackson from moving back.

That’s precisely what the Bears did, allowing Clinton-Dix to leave. With Jackson back at free safety, the team signed strong safety Tashaun Gipson.

Now, with Week 1 about to start, Jackson will celebrate. He sees all of the safety rankings that have the gall of not including him. His 10 interceptions are tops among safeties since 2017. He led the NFL in pick-sixes in 2018. Now he’s eager to show that not only was moving him over a mistake but also keeping him off the high-ranking safeties lists is as well. He has two career interceptions against Detroit. He’ll add to that total in Week 1.

Prediction: Jackson finishes with 6 tackles, 1 interception returned for a touchdown.