By all accounts, the Chicago Bears have put together a tough and rigorous training camp. Head coach Ben Johnson wanted to push his players into a new mentality born of violence, intensity, and purpose. It has worked well. Each joint practice saw them match up well with two teams with winning records last year. That should tell you they might be doing some things right. A big part of this success comes from several players standing out in camp. So who is the MVP? This is the person who has delivered day in and day out.
Many will immediately jump to Olamide Zaccheaus. The wide receiver was a prominent addition in free agency, fresh off a quality season in Washington. He's quickly become a favorite target of Caleb Williams. Another is Montez Sweat. After a frustrating 2024, the former Pro Bowl defensive end has dominated much of camp, looking jacked and eager for action. However, for anybody who has watched every practice to this point, the true MVP isn't a tough decision.
That is Jaquan Brisker.
It’s hard to imagine Bears defensive coaches will find a player on the tape of Friday’s practice who had a more energized and productive day than Brisker, who was all over the field in coverage and run support. During an early 7-on-7 period, Brisker had consecutive pass breakups. He assisted with Edmunds’ interception and continued to play with a combination of aggressiveness and purpose that was hard to miss.
“He made a lot of big plays,” Edmunds said. “But Brisk has been doing that all camp, to be honest with you. He’s been having a big-time camp. I take my hat off to him. His attention to detail and being able to find the ball and make his presence felt (has been big).”
The Chicago Bears face multiple truths if Brisker has a breakout.
For one, it means excellent things for the defense. History says the unit has always been at its best when it gets elite safety play. It was true of Richie Petitbon in the 1960s, Gary Fencik in the 1980s, Mike Brown in the 2000s, and Eddie Jackson in the 2010s. Brisker has shown constant flashes of brilliance since arriving in 2022. The problem has always been health. His physical brand of football has led to multiple injury setbacks, most recently the concussion that ended his season last year.
Based on what we see, he's on a mission to prove he is among the NFL's best. If he achieves that goal, it is great for the Chicago Bears' defense. It also has implications for their payroll. Brisker is a free agent next year. A breakout season as he's about to become available means the team would likely have to pay top dollar to keep him. Don't forget they already paid Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon big money. Are they prepared to hand Brisker $22 million per year? We may soon find out.
