On Friday morning, safety Eddie Jackson took to Twitter to point out how many times the ball was thrown his way in the Bears’ 20-19 victory against the Buccaneers: zero.
He said Wednesday that he knows it’s a sign of respect.
“But I like playing football,” he said. “I like being challenged, so I want to be targeted, you know? It’s more opportunity to make plays.
“If you don’t get targets, you don’t really have any opportunities to make plays on the ball. So that’s something that I just kinda have that confidence to be like, ‘OK, you want to talk like that? Go on and target me then.’ I’m up for the challenge.”
He was the last time the Bears played the Panthers. In 2017, he returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown and an interception 76 yards for a score. He became the first player in NFL history with multiple defensive touchdowns of 75 yards or more.
“We talk about it all the time, in terms of not getting too frustrated when you’re not getting the targets and the action that you want to come your way,” safeties coach Sean Desai said. “Then, mastering all the other stuff that you can do and impact the game on. I think it’s shown over the first few weeks of the season where he has impacted it.”
Te’o tryout
The Bears put Manti Te’o, the former Notre Dame linebacker who infamously mourned the cancer death of a girlfriend who never existed, on their tryout list.
In 2013, Te’o claimed that he had been the victim of a “catfishing” hoax.
He was picked by the Chargers in the second round of the 2013 draft and played four years for them before spending three seasons with the Saints. He totaled four starts the last two seasons.
The Bears also brought in safety/linebacker Deone Bucannon, a 2014 first-round pick of the Cardinals, and linebacker Justin Phillips for tryouts.
Injury report
The Bears gave wide receiver Ted Ginn, inside linebacker Danny Trevathan, tight end Jimmy Graham and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks veteran days off Wednesday.
Safety Deon Bush did not practice because of the hamstring injury he suffered against the Colts. Safety Sherrick McManis returned to the field but was limited because of a hamstring injury, and defensive tackle Brent Urban was limited with a knee problem.
This and that
The Bears promoted second-year offensive lineman Sam Mustipher, a Notre Dame alum, to take James Daniels’ roster spot. Daniels, the starting left guard, was put on injured reserve after he tore a pectoral muscle Thursday night against the Bucs. He’s expected to be out for the season.
† Nose tackle John Jenkins, whom the Bears put on injured reserve Sept. 24 with a thumb injury, practiced Wednesday. The Bears have three weeks to activate him for games.
† The Bears protected kicker Kai Forbath from practice-squad poaching, as they did with third-string quarterback Tyler Bray on Tuesday.