What are the Chicago Bears getting in safety Adrian Colbert?

After it was reported that Chicago Bears safety Eddie Jackson is done for the year with a Lisfranc injury, the team signed veteran free safety Adrian Colbert to the practice squad on Tuesday.

Colbert, a 2017 seventh-round pick out of Miami, has appeared in 39 games with 22 starts in five seasons. He played for the San Francisco 49ers for two seasons after being drafted to the Bay Area. There, Colbert collected 58 total tackles, six pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.

A high-ankle sprain ended his 2018 season early. Injuries the following preseason led to the 49ers releasing the safety. Colbert landed on Seattle’s practice squad for a couple of months before being signed by the Miami Dolphins in November 2019 where he appeared in six games, starting five, and finished the year with 22 tackles and two passes defensed.

Colbert’s journey around the league continued as he played for the Giants in 2020, and in 2021, he played for both the Browns and the Jets after failing to make the Patriots’ final roster. He signed with the Titans this past August and was with the team throughout the preseason before being cut when Tennessee trimmed its roster to the final 53.

After posting a PFF Coverage Grade of 72.9 as a rookie, Colbert failed to top a grade higher than 64.7 every season since. He also has allowed a collective passer rating of 146.5 when targeted in his career.

Without Jackson, the Chicago Bears only had three other safeties on the roster: Jaquan Brisker, DeAndre Houston-Carson and Elijah Hicks. After promoting rookie A.J. Thomas from the practice squad, the Bears were in need of signing another safety to have in the building.

After Jackson went down against the Jets, it was Houston-Carson who took over starting duties. The rookie, Hicks, also played his first defensive snaps of the year (39) after Jackson went down on Sunday. It appears Thomas will step up into a special teams role now that he’s on the active roster.

By signing Colbert to the practice squad, the Bears bring in an experienced backup in case another injury occurs at the position.

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