Over at NFL.com, Jim Trotter has penned a must-read piece with Chicago Bears safety Eddie Jackson being the focal point.

Trotter’s profile dives deep into Jackson’s childhood, upbringing, road to Alabama and eventually the NFL, and more. It was quite tough to find one thing to extract and share. There were so many anecdotes I could have used as a jumping-off point for this post, but the one that jumped out to me revolved around Jackson’s long-term future with the Bears.

“There’s a lot at stake for (Jackson) entering 2019,” Trotter writes. “He’s less than a year away from being eligible for his first extension, and the Bears have informed him they’re prepared to open talks regarding an extension next offseason. They do not say he needs to have a second consecutive All-Pro season, but Jackson has no plans to lower the bar. In fact, he wants to raise it.”

Two things that jump out to me in that snapshot.

For starters, the Bears already have their mind on rewarding Jackson with a multi-year deal. So much so, they have let him know that talks will open up as soon as he is eligible to re-up next offseason. And then there is Jackson, an accomplished safety who wants to take his game to another level before contract chatter begins. Jackson already has a special place in Bears lore (not to mention a spot on the franchise’s 100 greatest players list two years into his career), but concerns regarding the Bears’ defense becoming complacent should be hushed upon hearing words from one of its leaders demanding more from himself — even after an All-Pro season.

Again, that snippet was just one moment in a larger, must-read piece about the Bears safety. Clear some time in your day to give it a read. I doubt you will regret it.