Chicago Bears sign draft pick Jackson to 4-year deal
Fourth-round safety Eddie Jackson on Monday became the third of the Chicago Bears' five draft picks under contract, signing a four-year deal.
The 6-foot, 201-pounder from Alabama, was a first-team all-SEC performer and a second-team All-American in 2015.
He was a second-team all-SEC pick last year despite playing just eight games before suffering a season-ending fractured left leg in October.
Jackson holds the Alabama career record with 303 interception-return yards on 9 picks.
Although he dressed for last weekend's three rookie minicamp practices, Jackson did not participate in any team activities, as the Bears are taking a cautious approach with his recovery.
"I feel like I can do anything," Jackson said, "but it's in the hands of the training staff. We're just taking it day by day right now and just cruising into everything.
"I just want to go out there and compete and show everybody what I can do. I'm just leaving it up to them. We're taking it slow."
Jackson is expected to be at 100 percent before training camp begins in late July, and he has a chance to become an opening-day starter in a secondary that has struggled to make plays on the ball for two years.
He credits the coaching he got at Alabama for allowing him to make impact plays.
"(Head) coach (Nick) Saban and the staff we had around us talk about tracking the ball, eyes and hands," Jackson said. "(That helps) the things I'm able to do with the ball in my hands, turning it into a big play.
"That's something we'd go over in practice a lot. Finishing on the ball. Don't run out of bounds, try to score a touchdown. Things like that really helped us."
After starting at cornerback in his first two years at Alabama, Jackson converted to safety in his final two seasons. In his first year at safety, he picked off 6 passes and returned 2 of them for touchdowns.
Last year he also emerged as a premier punt returner, scoring 2 touchdowns on 11 attempts and averaging 23 yards per return.
Running back Tarik Cohen, the Bears' other fourth-round draft pick, and fifth-round offensive lineman Jordan Morgan signed on May 11.
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