After seven seasons with the Chicago Bears, safety Eddie Jackson practiced for the first time with another NFL team on Monday, and he came up with a pick-six in training-camp work with the Baltimore Ravens.
“I mean, you just go out there and work and you play ball,” Jackson said after practice. “Coaches put us in great position to make plays on the ball. It’s just on us to come up with it and do the rest. …
“It felt good just to get back into the rhythm of things, back into a routine, being able to be out there to compete and make plays.”
Baltimore announced Jackson had agreed to terms on Friday, and the former Alabama standout signed a one-year contract when he arrived at training camp on Sunday.
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“It was just pretty much I came here on a visit, met with the coaches, a lot of the training staff, equipment staff, people like that,” Jackson said. “It just felt like a perfect fit. Just knowing what they have in this building and the tradition of things, I just knew it’s a perfect fit for me to come in and compete and do what I got to do to help the team get better and, hopefully, win the Super Bowl. …
“You look at the guys, the type of talent they have on the defensive side of the ball from the front to the back, so being able to come in and plug in as much as possible, and whatever role that I can do to contribute to that is huge. That went into a lot of thought about making a decision as well.”
Although Jackson is a seven-year NFL veteran, he likened the talent in Baltimore’s secondary to his Alabama days.
“Man, it’s crazy,” Jackson said. “I feel like this is probably the most deep and competitive DB room I done had since Alabama with Minkah (Fitzpatrick), Ronnie (Harrison) and Marlon (Humphrey).
“Just to be back there with Kyle (Hamilton) and Marcus (Williams) and those guys being able to help me, teach me things, answer any questions I have. Even with some of the younger guys – I’ve been looking at them for help, just learning the playbook and things like that, so it’s definitely special.”
Last season, Baltimore had three safeties who started at least 11 games and played more than 54 percent of the Ravens’ defensive snaps. Hamilton and Williams return, but Geno Stone, who had seven interceptions in 2023, left via free agency.
Chicago released Jackson in February with one year remaining on a $58.4 million contract for a salary-cap savings of $12.56 million in 2024. Jackson started all 100 regular-season games that he played for the Bears, received Pro Bowl invitations in 2018 and 2019 and earned All-Pro recognition in 2018.
Jackson said he hopes to show “that I’m still the type of player that I know I am, that I still can go out there. I can compete. I can fly around, make plays. Just things like that. I can come in and contribute to a team. I know the type of person I am off the field as well. Just want to show that around the league and to everyone.”
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he could “remember it like it was yesterday” when Baltimore was evaluating Jackson “running to the ball for Alabama.”
“A pro, great demeanor,” Harbaugh said after Monday’s practice. “Eddie Jackson, it seems like he’s picking up the defense. I mean, he’s only been here for a little over 24 hours or so, and he didn’t make any mistakes today that I saw. But he’s going to be digging in that playbook really hard, and he looks good.”
The Ravens open their three-game preseason schedule on Aug. 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles and kick off their regular-season slate on Sept. 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first game of the NFL’s 2024 campaign.
Baltimore posted the NFL’s best record at 13-4 last season, but the Chiefs defeated the Ravens 17-10 in the AFC Championship Game.
Jackson played in one postseason game while with the Bears.
“You know when you’re going out there, you’re working towards something,” Jackson said. “Not saying that wasn’t the thing in Chicago, but the results didn’t show up when it came to the record. Seeing the roster, the record and what these guys have been able to do over these last few years – and even last year how close they came – I’m just coming in trying to be that missing piece on that back end of that defense and do whatever I can to contribute and help us eventually accomplish a Super Bowl.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.