In a move that’s sending shockwaves through the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers have pulled off what can only be described as highway robbery in free agency. General Manager John Lynch and the front office have inked former Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker to a multi-year deal worth just $11 million annually, according to Spotrac projections. At that price, the Niners are adding a proven, hard-hitting playmaker who’s fresh off his most durable and productive season yet. Forget the question marks at safety—San Francisco’s secondary is now a certified nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
Brisker, who turns 27 in April, wraps up his rookie contract with the Bears after a standout 2025 campaign where he started all 17 games for the first time in his career. The second-round pick from 2022 racked up 93 tackles, a sack, eight passes defended, three quarterback hits, and an interception during the regular season. But it was in the playoffs where Brisker truly shined, amassing 23 tackles, another sack, and two pass breakups across Chicago’s two postseason games, including a heroic effort in their Wild Card loss to the Rams. As the NFL’s official X account put it during that game: “TFL. Sack. PBU. Jaquan Brisker was EVERYWHERE on that last drive.”
TFL. Sack. PBU. Jaquan Brisker was EVERYWHERE on that last drive.
LARvsCHI on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/I4tFSo1gUq— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2026
The Bears had expressed interest in retaining veteran Kevin Byard, but Brisker’s name was notably absent from those discussions, signaling the end of his tenure in Chicago. Reflecting on what might have been his final game in a Bears uniform, Brisker told CHGO Sports, “It could’ve been my last time in a Bears uniform and I wanted to soak that in. I’m really the last person to leave the locker room… Embracing the locker room, embracing everything, I don’t know what it’ll be in the future for me.”
Well, the future is now bright red and gold. Brisker’s arrival addresses a key area of concern for the 49ers, who entered the 2026 offseason with promising but unproven young safeties like Ji’Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha. While both have flashed potential with their speed and athleticism, neither has matched Brisker’s consistent impact against the run and pass. His linebacker-like urgency combined with elite DB awareness makes him a perfect fit for new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’s aggressive scheme. Brisker flies to the ball with reckless abandon, disrupting plays in the backfield and blanketing receivers downfield.
Sure, Brisker’s injury history—three concussions over his first three seasons, leading to 16 missed games—raises some eyebrows. But his full participation in 2025 proves he’s overcome those hurdles, emerging healthier and hungrier than ever. At $11 million per year, this is an absolute bargain for a player entering his prime. With roughly $43 million in cap space heading into free agency, the Niners still have room to address other needs like wide receiver and edge rusher, but bolstering the secondary was priority one.
Imagine this revamped unit: Brisker patrolling the deep middle alongside Brown and Mustapha, with Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir locking down the corners. Opposing offenses, beware—this group just got deadlier. The 49ers, already a perennial contender, are positioning themselves for another deep playoff run in 2026. If this signing is any indication, Lynch isn’t messing around. Steal of the year? You bet. The Faithful should be ecstatic.
