Turns Out Dennis Allen And Jaquan Brisker Have A History

Dennis Allen had the good fortune of coming into a fairly stable situation. The Chicago Bears defense he's taking over already has talent. Montez Sweat, Jaylon Johnson, and Tremaine Edmunds are all Pro Bowlers. T.J. Edwards, Kevin Byard, and Andrew Billings are proven veterans. Allen singled out Kyler Gordon as somebody with loads of untapped potential he can't wait to work with. As it turns out, that isn't the only player the defensive coordinator has wanted to get his hands on.

Jaquan Brisker is another. The young safety spoke to Casino Beats recently. In the interview, he dropped a previously unknown nugget. Apparently, the New Orleans Saints had planned to draft Brisker in 2022 with the 49th pick. They were beyond disappointed when the Bears took him just one spot before them.

Q:  Do you know any defensive backs that have played in the scheme? I’m wondering if you’ve talked to anybody about how it’s gone for them, or do you just have more of a big picture overview?

Jaquan Brisker: “Just a big picture overview. I mean, obviously I know Tyrann (Mathieu) played there the last couple years. J.T. Gray. That’s just the Saints players that I watched (in the scheme). When we were in the draft, Dennis Allen and I met at the combine and they told me at 49 they were going to take me. They were going to pick me and I was like one pick away. So there was that connection always there. They had signed Tyrann, so I was going to come in to play next to him.”

It isn't surprising Allen wanted Brisker. He has a history of preferring instinctive, physical safeties on the back end of his defenses.

Dennis Allen should know how to deploy Brisker.

After all, he's utilized players of that type for years. It started with the immortal Brian Dawkins in Denver. Then, it was Kenny Vaccaro, Vonn Bell, Malcolm Jenkins, and Marcus Maye in New Orleans. Dennis Allen is no stranger to what this type of safety can bring to a defense. They're necessary both to help the run defense with an extra guy in the box and also as a blitzing presence. Brisker is made for that role. The primary concern is whether he can stay on the field enough to fill it. He's now missed 16 games over his first three seasons with various injuries. This 2025 season is by far teh most important of his career. A good year could put him in line for a lucrative payday and a chance to keep working with Allen.