Chicago Bears safety Eddie Jackson has agreed to a lucrative contract extension with the team, the team announced Saturday.
Jackson, who was drafted by the Bears prior to the 2017 season, agreed to a four-year extension with the team Friday. The deal was originally reported by Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:
The deal could be worth a total of $58.4 million, with $22 million in guaranteed money. His $14.6 million annual salary is the highest for a safety in the NFL.
Jackson becomes the first eligible player from the 2017 draft class to sign a contract extension.
Jackson's agency confirmed the report on Friday morning:
"We're very excited to get this deal done with Eddie to keep him in a Bears uniform," Bears G.M. Ryan Pace said in a statement. "It's very rare to find a player in this league with talent like Eddie's. He's a rangy ball hawk with exceptional IQ, a great teammate and a natural leader. He is the anchor on the back end of our defense and we are fortunate to have him."
"It's very rare to find a player in this league with talent like Eddie's."
-Bears G.M. Ryan Pace
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In 46 career games with the Bears, Jackson has scored five defensive touchdowns, forced four fumbles and intercepted 10 passes. He also has a pair of sacks and 184 combined tackles.
Jackson's breakout season came in 2018 for the Bears, as he was named a First-Team All-Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns and picked off a total of six passes.
