Examining how Jaquan Brisker fits in the Bears defense
Tracking down just precisely what situation Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker is entering with the Chicago Bears is tough. The Bears have a completely new staff, with head coach Matt Eberflus taking over after serving as the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive coordinator for the last five seasons. In turn, he took defensive back coach Alan Williams to join him by Lake Michigan.
We’ll get into just what all of that means for Brisker in a moment, but first, here is what I had to say earlier this week about Brisker’s best fit in the NFL.
Jaquan Brisker’s best fit in the NFL
“There is a misconception, in my estimation, that Jaquan Brisker is just a box safety.
…All of this is to say that it would be a waste of his versatility to stick him in the box and not allow him to play diverse roles. A team that uses interchangeable safeties who play at each field level could benefit from his ability to cover tight ends, slot receivers, and zone coverage. While it seems counter-intuitive, teams that run two-high safety looks have less of a stark designation between the skills of each player. That opens the door to having a more pliable, versatile defense that can take advantage of diverse skills.
Brisker is not perfect at everything, he is good at most things. As I said earlier this week, he’s a quality slot defender, he’s physical as you can like, and he has the range to play in deep coverage. If not for a back injury at the combine, he would have run a much faster 40-yard dash than his 4.49 that most analysts quote when discussing his speed. Does he stand out when playing in the box? Yes. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only thing he can do.
Tracing the roots of the Bears defensive coaches
Now, back to Eberflus and Williams.
Williams will get his second shot at being a defensive coordinator in the NFL. His first go-around came under current Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frasier when Frasier was the head coach in Minnesota.
What do Eberflus, Williams, and Frasier all have in common? First, they believe in diverse zone coverage based on two-high safety looks. Thanks to this approach, both the Bills and Colts have been two of the stingiest defenses in the last four seasons at giving up passing yards and deep receptions.
Cornerbacks will always be more vital to the overall success of a defense, but in schemes like the ones listed above, the safeties really drive the team forward. Their ability to play multiple roles, disguise coverage, and frustrate the quarterback are critical to the success of the defense.
That’s not to say that Brisker will be lining up deep on every play. Each team has primary designations for each safety that will take one player to one part of the field more than the others. This design is much like what the Nittany Lions do with their field and boundary safeties. Brisker can still line up as the primary box safety but still have a slot, deep and intermediate responsibility in this defense. Current Bears safety Eddie Jackson is a good running mate as he’s been the team’s primary free safety over the last three seasons.
Eberflus was a very good coordinator for the Colts and Williams comes from a strong line of defensive minds. Whats more, Williams is a former defensive back coach who will likely have a plan for Brisker. There’s a reasonably strong chance that the former Penn State enforcer will find success in this situation.
