The Chicago Bears announced on Thursday that safety Jaquan Brisker has been placed on injured reserve, meaning he will miss Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers and potentially the Week 18 rematch to close out the regular season. Brisker, who has started all 35 games he’s been available for since joining the Bears in 2021, has been sidelined with a concussion since early October. Under NFL rules for injured reserve, he will be out for at least four more games.
With Brisker out, the Bears are expected to start Elijah Hicks alongside Kevin Byard, a combination they’ve used since Brisker’s injury. For context, Brisker has allowed a passer rating of just 51.0 when targeted this season as a deep safety, while Hicks has allowed a much higher passer rating of 128.0. Hicks, who was drafted in the same year as Brisker, has made 12 NFL starts to date.
Brisker has not been shy about his disdain for the Packers, making headlines in September 2023 when he said, “I hate Green Bay,” ahead of their season opener. He also stirred controversy after their second meeting in 2023, calling the Packers’ receiving corps “fake tough” and lacking “stars.”
Interestingly, Brisker was once a draft prospect that the Packers showed interest in, bringing him in for a visit before the 2022 NFL Draft. However, Green Bay chose other players that year, including Tariq Carpenter, Samori Toure, and Christian Watson. Had things unfolded differently, Brisker could have been wearing a Packers uniform. Instead, he’ll miss another opportunity to contribute to breaking the Bears’ 10-game losing streak to Green Bay until at least the final week of the regular season.