The Chicago Bears appear ready to move on from Jaquan Brisker and the market for one of the NFL’s most intriguing defensive free agents is about to heat up.
General manager Ryan Poles has publicly mentioned Kevin Byard as someone he wants to re-sign, and the Bears have already added Coby Bryant, a clear signal they’re moving on from Brisker. Despite that, he remains one of the top remaining free agents on the board heading into the open market.
Brisker, 26, got healthy again in 2025, piling up 93 tackles in a vastly improved Bears secondary. He played the ninth-most snaps of all qualified safeties, according to PFF, while ranking eighth among safeties in total pressures (11).
Let’s break down his four best landing spots heading into 2026.
Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia makes the most schematic sense of any team in the mix and it has a fresh opening. Reed Blankenship, the Eagles’ longtime starting safety, signed a three-year, $24.75 million deal with the Houston Texans, leaving a clear hole in the secondary that Howie Roseman now needs to fill.
Brisker’s skill set could make him an ideal fit in Vic Fangio’s defensive system. Throughout his career in Chicago, he built a reputation as a physical defender capable of flying downhill to blitz and help against the run. That’s exactly the versatility Fangio’s scheme demands from its safeties.
As a Penn State product, a move to Philadelphia would feel like a natural homecoming.
Pittsburgh Steelers
This one has the makings of a feel-good story.
Brisker is a Pittsburgh native, and one of the best players to come out of Pennsylvania. Beyond his ties to the city, he fits the Steelers defense as a physical, elite tackler and one of the best run-stopping safeties in the NFL.
Pittsburgh signed cornerback Jamel Dean on Day 1. That addition allows Jalen Ramsey to slide to nickel, which means the Steelers now need a free safety to anchor the back end.
Spotrac projects Brisker will command around $10–11 million annually. The Steelers would likely need to offer around three years and $30 million to make a Steel City homecoming happen.
With nearly $50 million in cap space, Omar Khan has the room to make it work.
Washington Commanders
Washington keeps surfacing in Brisker discussions, and for good reason. After adding Odafe Oweh on the edge and Amik Robertson at corner on Day 1, the Commanders still have an open need at safety.
Brisker is a versatile, do-it-all safety who would be a strong fit in defensive coordinator Daronte Jones’ three-safety system. At 6’1″ and 204 pounds, he has the size and physicality to contribute immediately.
The Commanders are building a genuine contender around Jayden Daniels, and with the top safety options like Bryan Cook and Coby Bryant already off the board, Brisker represents the best remaining option at the position for a team still hungry to add.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills have needed safety help for years, and the door is still open. Cole Bishop has shown improvement in his development, but there is an open starting spot next to him that the Bills have yet to address this offseason.
Brisker is a dynamic, throwback enforcer who can line up all over the formation and be a handful coming on the blitz. That’s an element that Buffalo’s defense has been missing since the Jordan Poyer era ended.
The Bills are in win-now mode with Josh Allen, and adding a 26-year-old enforcer in the secondary at a potentially suppressed market price could be one of the better value moves of this free agency period.
