Elijah Hicks is expected to replace Brisker. Selected by the Bears in the seventh round of the 2022 draft out of California, Hicks has appeared in 37 games with eight starts in three seasons, compiling 68 tackles, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Six of his starts came last season in place of the injured Eddie Jackson.
Defensive coordinator Eric Washington said that he has “a tremendous level of confidence” in Hicks, adding: “No. 1, he’s familiar with what we’re doing. He is an active learner, which means that when he is backing up Brisker, he’s preparing himself as if he was going to start … With the way he prepares with his skillset, his attention to detail, I have the utmost confidence in him.”
If Stevenson is unable to play, he likely would be replaced by Jaylon Jones, who is in his third season with the Bears after joining the team in 2022 as an undrafted free agent from Mississippi. Jones has appeared in 38 games with four starts and recorded 74 tackles, four pass breakups, one forced fumble and one tackle-for-loss.
“He’s played for us a bunch and he’s one of those guys like Elijah that’s been in our system,” Eberflus said. “He knows it in and out, and the coaches have been with those guys in the technique and the fundamentals there. They’re going to stand on solid ground relative to that, and the other guys trust them too, because they’ve been in there and produced and have played for us, so we feel good about both [Hicks and Jones].”
Left guard Teven Jenkins is questionable for Sunday’s game with an ankle injury he sustained last weekend against the Panthers. He returned to practice on a limited basis Friday after sitting out Thursday’s workout.
“Teven did a nice job,” Eberflus said. “Today he was limited, but he looked good, and so we’re hopeful there. We’ll see where that goes for Sunday.”