Coastal's #10 Sam Antonacci jumps back to 1st base as UNCW took on Coastal Carolina Tuesday April 2, 2024 at home. UNCW won 6-4. KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
With the 2025 draft class complete, the White Sox must reconfigure their farm system to make space for their new draftees. Several prospects have reportedly been promoted for this reason, with one in particular being a notable development. Infielder Sam Antonacci will head from High-A to Double-A, per Elijah Evans of FutureSox.
Strong 2025 Campaign
Antonacci, 22, was taken by the White Sox in the fifth round in last year’s draft and has outperformed expectations. After a strong cup of coffee with the Low-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers last year, the left-handed hitting infielder has continued to impress against better competition. In 287 plate appearances over 63 games with the High-A Winston Salem Dash this season, he is hitting .280/.426/.413 with ten doubles, four triples, four home runs, 27 stolen bases, and a 151 wRC+, walking 39 times compared to just 37 strikeouts. He won the White Sox minor league player of the month award in June, a testament to his outstanding performance relative to his peers in the White Sox farm system.
Defensive Versatility
Defensive versatility is another key aspect of Antonacci’s game. Despite playing primarily third base at the collegiate level, he has experience playing all over the infield. This season with the Dash, he has appeared in 28 games at second base, 19 games at third base, six games at shortstop, and three games at first base. His ability to play all over the field will only help him as he progresses through the higher levels of the minor leagues.
Big Test Ahead
Antonacci has earned his shot at Double-A, but the next level brings steeper competition and new tests. The pitching will be better than he has ever faced before, and he will be over two years younger than the average player at that level. The Barons’ home ballpark has also traditionally been more pitcher-friendly than hitter-friendly. If he continues performing, however, he will firmly put his name on the map as a prospect to watch.
Antonacci’s Future Outlook
Sam Antonacci was not a highly regarded prospect when the White Sox drafted him. He was the 140th pick in the draft, and one could argue that he is still overlooked. After all, he currently ranks as just the #26 overall prospect in the White Sox farm system per MLB.com. He doesn’t have the pedigree or one elite tool that most top prospects have. That said, he has firmly entrenched himself as one of the more interesting position player prospects in the White Sox organization. His unique blend of on-base skills, speed, and defensive versatility makes him an intriguing talent. It is a foregone conclusion that he will rank higher on updated prospect lists. At the rate he is going, a big league debut sometime in 2026 is not out of the question.
Aug 27, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard (34) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Noah Syndergaard signed a minor league deal with the White Sox on June 24. The right-hander will earn $30,000 per month in the minors and a $1.75 million base salary if promoted to the majors. His contract includes performance bonuses — $50,000 for reaching 40 innings and $100,000 each for surpassing 55 and 75 innings — as well as a release clause if he is not on the big-league roster by Aug. 1.
Before the promotion, Syndergaard threw 15.1 innings across six games in the Arizona Complex League, posting a 2.93 ERA.
Syndergaard last pitched in the majors on Aug. 27, 2023, making 12 starts for the Dodgers and six for the Guardians that season. Over 88.2 innings, he posted a 6.50 ERA, walked a career-high 6.9% of batters, and allowed opponents to hit .291 against him. He also recorded a career-low strikeout rate of just 12.4%.
It’s a far cry from the pitcher who burst onto the scene in 2015, finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting with a 3.24 ERA over 150 innings with the Mets. The following year, Syndergaard—nicknamed “Thor”—earned an All-Star nod after posting a 2.60 ERA, striking out 29.3% of batters and generating a 50.5% ground ball rate over 183.2 innings.
Over his first five seasons with the Mets, Syndergaard compiled a 3.31 ERA with a 26.4% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate across 716 innings, leading the league with two complete games in 2018.
Injuries have taken a toll on the 32-year-old. Syndergaard underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2020 to repair a torn UCL, sidelining him for the entire 2020 season and limiting him to just two innings in 2021. But the injury concerns began well before that. He was limited to just seven starts (30.1 innings) in 2017 due to a torn lat, and in 2018, he landed on the injured list twice — once for a torn ligament in his finger and again after a bizarre bout with hand, foot, and mouth disease.
Syndergaard should have plenty of opportunities to prove himself, with Adrian Houser likely to be traded at the deadline.
Getz told reporters after trading for Aaron Civale that the team could turn to a six-man rotation, making the Syndergaard signing a low-risk, high-reward move, offering some depth and taking pressure off the White Sox’s young arms.
It’s unlikely Syndergaard will return to ace form after missing nearly two years. Since his Tommy John surgery, Thor has looked like a shell of himself, posting a 4.99 ERA and 15.9% strikeout rate. He has also lost at least six miles per hour on a fastball that used to flirt with triple-digits. But the White Sox don’t need him to be an ace. If Syndergaard can just be a reliable MLB starter, this minor league gamble will be a worthwhile investment for Getz.
Knoxville Smokies pitcher Jaxon Wiggins (41) pitches during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Chattanooga Lookouts at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 3, 2025.
The Chicago Cubs now have a fifth top-100 prospect according to MLB Pipeline as right-handed pitcher Jaxon Wiggins has cracked the rankings. The 23-year-old has posted a 2.09 ERA in 60.1 innings so far in 2025 and was named to the MLB All-Star Futures Game.
Wiggins has been at Double-A since the middle of May and has recorded a 2.38 ERA in seven starts with 43 strikeouts in 34 innings of work since his promotion. Wiggins is now ranked No. 100 in MLB Pipeline’s list following the graduation of Cole Young.
RHP Jaxon Wiggins joins the Top 100 Prospects list upon Cole Young's graduation.
The Cubs have been closely monitoring Wiggins’ work load this season and they cut down his usage last month. Wiggins has not pitched since June 20. The 2023 second round pick is expected to return to action following the All-Star break.
The right-handed pitcher has been a popular name in trade rumors. We’ll see just how desperate the Cubs get at the MLB trade deadline in two weeks. However, Wiggins might have pitched himself out of a trade with his performance so far in 2025.
We’ll see how Wiggins looks when he does return and if the Cubs feel confident enough in his long-term development. If they do, then Wiggins will probably not be going anywhere at the trade deadline.
Cubs top prospects (July 18, 2025 – MLB Pipeline) Owen Caissie: No. 41 Moises Ballesteros: No. 51 Jefferson Rojas: No. 62 Kevin Alcantara: No. 84 Jaxon Wiggins: No. 100
(Previous Update)
We finally know why top Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins hasn’t pitched for the past three weeks. No, it’s not because the Cubs are holding him out in case he gets injured and ruins a potential trade and luckily it’s not an active injury. The Cubs are simply being cautious with the 23-year-old starting pitcher.
Wiggins was named to the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game, but was officially removed from the roster earlier this week. The right-handed pitcher has accumulated 60.1 innings so far in 2025, surpassing his innings total from the entire 2024 season in the minor leagues. So, the Cubs have decided to throttle down on Wiggins’ workload, which is why he hasn’t pitched since June 20.
Marquee Sports Network analyst Lance Brozdowski reported on Tuesday night that Wiggins is expected to resume action following the All-Star break and potentially more importantly a few weeks before the trade deadline.
Per source, Jaxon Wiggins being removed from the Futures Game is workload-related. He's still throwing with Double-A Tennessee.
He's scheduled to pitch again around the 19th of July in a multi-inning capacity, roughly two weeks before the trade deadline. @WatchMarqueepic.twitter.com/9PIeD2eHwn
Wiggins was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft out of Arkansas. He didn’t make his pro debut with the Cubs until the 2024 season and now he’s broken out in 2025. The right-hander has posted a 2.09 ERA while striking out 74 batters in 12 starts. Wiggins has an excellent 30.6 K% and is holding opposing hitters to a .154 batting average.
On May 15, Wiggins made his first start at Double-A with the Knoxville Smokies. He’s been great at the new level as well, recording a 2.38 ERA in seven starts with 43 strikeouts in 34 innings of work.
Wiggins’ rise in the Cubs farm system has certainly gotten the pitcher onto the radar of many teams around the league and he’s quickly become a popular name that’s included in trade rumors this summer. The Cubs have been searching for a deal to bring in a top of the rotation arm and Wiggins may be the difference in a blockbuster trade.
If not, Wiggins is projected to eventually contribute in the majors with the Cubs, maybe as soon as 2026, if he stays healthy and continues to develop in the minor leagues.
May 9, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III warms up during the Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bears had been waiting for weeks to secure their last three picks of the 2025 draft class. One big hurdle remained. Almost none of the league’s 2nd rounders wanted to sign because Jayden Higgins, the Houston Texans’ 34th overall pick, got a fully guaranteed deal. Inevitably, others wanted the same. Teams were reluctant to budge, and thus a holdout began. After Alfred Collins, the 43rd pick, signed for less than fully guaranteed, it didn’t take long for Ozzy Trapilo and Shemar Turner to follow, since both were drafted after him. That left Luther Burden.
As the 39th overall pick, he still had a case for earning full guarantees as well. After another 24 hours of tense waiting as training camp nears, a deal was struck. For the first time in NFL history, a player picked that late in the draft got his contract fully guaranteed. While it’s great news for Burden personally, it also sets a historic precedent. Every player picked 39th overall moving forward now has the leverage needed to follow Burden’s lead, getting their own contracts guaranteed. You can’t downplay the significance in a sport that is so unpredictable with injuries.
Chicago Bears reached agreement today with second-round pick WR Luther Burden III on a fully-guaranteed, $10.965 million contract, marking the first time in NFL history that the 39th pick has secured a fully-guaranteed deal, per the @WINSportsGroup. pic.twitter.com/NuMzmRo0IL
The Chicago Bears likely didn’t want to stretch this out.
Burden had already missed most of the OTAs and minicamps due to a soft tissue injury. If the holdout went any longer, the receiver stood to miss critical training camp practices as well. Given the big plans head coach Ben Johnson likely has for him, it probably didn’t seem as if a couple of hundred thousand dollars were worth the headache. NFL owners are among the richest in American sports. This is not something they need to haggle over. They can afford it without even breaking a sweat. Credit to the McCaskeys for giving Ryan Poles the green light to get the deal done. It was important to avoid distractions with such a critical season approaching.
May 9, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III speaks during the Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
As Chicago Bears training camp begins tomorrow, all eyes are on rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III—and his unsigned contract. I recently posted on Twitter “Bears should just give Luther Burden a fully guaranteed contract. Camp starts tomorrow.” The comment sparked plenty of debate, but it reflects my growing frustration with how slowly negotiations are moving.
Bears should just give Luther Burden a fully guaranteed contract.
Burden, a second round pick, is expected to sign a four year, $10.95 million deal, according to Spotrac. That’s standard for his draft slot. However, with many other second rounders landing contracts that are roughly 60%-95% guaranteed depending on the draft spot, the Bears reluctance to fully guarantee Burden’s deal seems unnecessarily cautious.
GM Ryan Poles is likely concerned about setting a precedent for future negotiations—a fair point in a league where every move is scrutinized. Still, we’re talking about a relatively modest amount of money for a player who could become a major weapon alongside Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson’s offense.
The Bears have the money to make it work, and a fully guaranteed deal could send the right message to both the locker room and the fanbase. With camp kicking off, the last thing this team needs is a contract standoff overshadowing the start of a crucial season. The Bears should close the deal, get Burden on the field, and let him prove why he was worth the pick.
Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Daniel Serafini has been found guilty of first-degree murder. Serafini shot and killed his father-in-law in 2021, while also shooting his mother-in-law, who survived but died of suicide a year later.
The victims in the June 5, 2021, attack were Robert Gary Spohr, 70, who was found dead in a home in North Lake Tahoe, California, from a single gunshot. Also shot was his wife, Wendy Wood, then 68. She recovered from the injures but died by suicide one year later. The family cited the trauma of the attack as the reason for her death.
The incident began with a disagreement over a $1.3 million ranch renovation project that led to the murder of Gary Spohr. This crime is straight out of a movie as Samantha Scott was also arrested in connection to the murder. She pleaded guilty in February to being an accessory after the fact as Scott admitted that she drove Serafini to his in-laws home the day of the shooting.
Scott, who is still awaiting sentencing, was the nanny for Serafini and his wife Erin Spohr, was also romantically involved with the former MLB pitcher. Erin testified in court that she had an open marriage and was aware of Scott’s relationship with Serafini. She also testified that she did not believe Serafini murdered her father or shot her mother.
Her sister, Adrienne Spohr, has been advocating for justice for her parents since the shootings.
“It’s been four years since my mom and dad were shot, and it’s been four years of just hell,” she said outside the courthouse Monday. “The Placer County District Attorney’s Office and the sheriff’s office never gave up.”
Serafini pitched for the Cubs during the 1999 season. A native of San Francisco, Serafini also pitched for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies during his MLB career.
The 51-year-old is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 18 in Placer County, California.
(Previous Update)
Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini pleaded not guilty to the 2021 murder of his father-in-law and attempted murder of his mother-in-law in his first appearance inside a Placer County courtroom in Roseville, Calif, on Tuesday. Serafini, 49, was arrested in October in Nevada and is being accused of killing his 70-year-old father-in-law, Gary Spohr, and trying to kill his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, at their house in Lake Tahoe on June 5, 2021.
Though Wood survived the initial attack, she died by suicide in March 2023.
Serafini was arrested for the alleged crimes along with 33-year-old Samantha Scott, who was reportedly a longtime friend of Erin Spohr, who is Serafini’s wife and the daughter of the victims. Scott was also the nanny to Erin’s two children.
In another twist to this case, Erin’s sister Adrienne, suspected that her brother-in-law and Erin were responsible for the murder of her parents and had filed a lawsuit against them several months before Serafini was arrested.
The wrongful death lawsuit was filed on June 5, 2023, exactly two years after the shootings.
One purpose of the lawsuit, reviewed by the Chronicle, is apparently to keep Serafini and his wife, Erin Spohr, from collecting inheritance money after the slayings to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt from his bar business.
In the suit, Adrienne Spohr writes that she believed Serafini and her sister “caused, conspired to cause, or otherwise participated in causing, the premeditated and planned June 5, 2021, murder of Robert Gary Spohr and attempted murder of Wendy Wood, eventually leading to Wood’s death.”
Erin Spohr has not been arrested in connection to the shootings of her parents. In August, Erin filed a lawsuit against her sister Adrienne, accusing her of elder abuse and claiming that she manipulated their mother when she was vulnerable after the shooting.
Via KCRA.
“Adrienne isolated Wendy to facilitate her plan to exploit Wendy to divert all family assets for her own selfish benefit,” the lawsuit states.
It claims that Adrienne used undue influence to cut Erin out of the picture and take control of the parents’ estates valued at more than $10 million.
Serafini was taken with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 1992 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins. The left-handed pitcher made his MLB debut with the Twins in 1996 and eventually retired from the sport in 2013. After his playing days, Serafini and his wife opened a bar called The Oak Tavern (formerly named The Bullpen Bar), in Sparks, Nevada. The bar was featured on a June 2015 episode of the reality TV show, “Bar Rescue.”
By 2017, their bar was out of business.
Serafini played for Minnesota from 1996-98, splitting time in the majors and minor leagues, before his contract was purchased by the Chicago Cubs. Serafini pitched for the Cubs during the 1999 season, making 42 total appearances that included four starts, while also making a pair of starts at Triple-A. Serafini also appeared in the major leagues with the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies, while also playing professionally in Japan, Taiwan and Mexico. He also had stints with the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Anaheim Angels and St. Louis Cardinals, though Serafini never reached the majors with those organizations.
Following the 2007 season with the Rockies, MLB suspended Serafini 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the league’s joint drug prevention and treatment program. Serafini claimed he took the substance that was prescribed to him while pitching in Japan for medical reasons.
May 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs fans celebrate their teamÕs victory with W flags after a game against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
The Chicago Cubs entered the All-Star break with the second-best record in the National League, but that’s only good enough for a one-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central division. At 57-39, the Cubs have 66 games remaining in 2025, and while baseball can certainly be unpredictable they have a very different-looking schedule left compared to the Brewers that could end up being the difference-maker in the division race.
The Brewers have been on a ridiculous run since May 25, going 31-12, which is the best record in baseball during the past seven weeks. Milwaukee has climbed back within one game of Chicago, but the two teams have gone through much different paths to reach their current status.
As of the All-Star break the Brewers had the third-easiest strength of schedule as their opponents had a combined winning percentage of .493. As for the Cubs, they had the sixth-toughest strength of schedule as the teams they faced had a .505 winning %.
Looking ahead to the final 2.5 months of the regular season the Cubs have the third-easiest schedule and the Brewers have the fifth-toughest according to MLB Tankathon.
According to Fangraphs, the Brewers only have the 10th toughest schedule for the rest of the season, but in turn the Cubs have the easiest remaining slate of games.
The Cubs and Brewers have eight head-to-head games remaining, including a five-game set at Wrigley Field from Aug. 18-21, that includes a double-header.
Ultimately, those head-to-head games will have major ramifications in the standings if one team dominates over the other, but the disparity of the strength of schedules may be the difference-maker in the division race. The Cubs have a good roster and should make a few moves to upgrade a couple of their weaknesses, so they really don’t have an excuse to finish the 2025 strong and win the NL Central.
May 12, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) stands on the court before a play against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second quarter during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bulls have worked to overhaul their roster this offseason within the confines of limited draft capital and money. One way many had hoped the team might give their playoff hopes a jolt next season was by trading for Jonathan Kuminga. The young forward has been stymied in Golden State, stuck on the bench behind an established starting lineup led by Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. The Bulls have been looking for young, athletic forwards to revamp their identity, and Kuminga seems perfect.
So why hasn’t it happened? Well, turns out it almost did. A new report from Jake Fischer of The Stein Lein revealed that Chicago and Golden State nearly reached an agreement on a deal that would’ve landed Kuminga in red and black. In fact, the 26-year-old had hoped the Bulls would be his destination. Two things collapsed the talks. First was the ongoing contract standoff with Josh Giddey. His being unsigned leaves the Bulls’ financial situation uncertain. The other was the decision to trade Lonzo Ball to Cleveland, whom the Warriors reportedly wanted.
“The 22-year-old’s camp had also been hopeful, sources say, about a potential sign-and-trade with Chicago, but the Bulls have their own ongoing restricted free agency dance to navigate with Giddey. The sides, sources say, remain far apart, with the Australian point guard long known to be seeking a deal that pays in the $30 million range annually.”
Bulls have tried to acquire Jonathan Kuminga via sign-and-trade per @JakeLFischer
Kuminga’s representation actually pushed for a trade to Chicago.
Warriors did like Lonzo Ball, so when he got traded to the Cavs, it now has made a deal with Chicago more difficult.
The Bulls’ decision not to wait for Jonathan Kuminga will be questioned.
Hearing the situation, it feels like they didn’t want to take the risk of waiting on him while the Giddey situation sorted itself out. If Jonathan Kuminga went to another team by some chance, it would’ve left the Bulls in the lurch with no solutions at forward. That is why they swung the deal with Cleveland for Isaac Okoro. It gave them the young, athletic wing defender they needed. Unfortunately, he doesn’t bring the same offensive upside Kuminga would have. While the odds aren’t completely dead, it now feels like the Bulls passed on their best opportunity to get a deal done. Unless the Warriors suddenly grow interested in Nikola Vucevic or Ayo Dosunmu, a sign-and-trade is unlikely to happen.
Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson (1) after an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bears are looking good on the financial front. While they’re not swimming in cap space as in years past, the team has a healthy payroll with all their major names locked up to new deals. There are no pressing issues to address at the moment. Credit must be given to GM Ryan Poles for handling these matters with patience and professionalism. His best moment was probably when he secured star cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who, at one point, looked like he might push his way out. Not only did the Bears retain him, but did so at what turned out to be a highly favorable rate.
Last year, his $19 million per year was good enough to put him in the top five among cornerbacks. Thanks to a flurry of deals for names like Patrick Surtain, Jaycee Horn, Sauce Gardner, and A.J. Terrell, that now ranks a distant 13th. Johnson is now easily the biggest bargain in the entire NFL. However, while the Bears are thrilled about this, he might not be. Johnson admitted on The Rich Eisen Show that after seeing the market spike this offseason, he is considering the idea of revisiting his contract.
“Really just seeing a lot of the other corners getting paid. I almost feel like we might have another discussion coming up here soon. The market is moving.”
Jaylon Johnson would not be the first to do this.
Plenty of top players signed deals that were highly valued on the market, only to see prices spike shortly afterward. Many of them raised a fuss, wanting their teams to adjust the deals to better match what they felt they were worth. It sounds like Jaylon Johnson might be planning the same. Whether the Bears listen is another story. He is under contract for another three years through 2027. The organization is under zero obligations to entertain another pay raise. He agreed to the deal and is getting paid a lot of money. They have every right to expect him to honor his contract. Much of this likely hinges on how this coming season plays out. If Johnson has another All-Pro year, he will have enough leverage to bring those demands forward.
Sep 29, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker (9) after sacking Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Listen up, you gridiron junkies: Jaquan Brisker isn’t some washed-up safety begging for pity points. He’s a damn wrecking ball wrapped in a concussion tale, and 2025 is his shot to remind the NFL why he’s worth every penny or why he’ll be an expensive gamble no one wants to touch. Buckle up.
Why This Matters
Let’s be real, we’re talking about a 26-year-old powerhouse coming off a Week 5 obliteration that left him in concussion protocol for over four months. Brisker’s 2024 stats (40 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 2 pass deflections in five games) were pacing him toward career highs in every category — 136 tackles, 3-4 sacks, 3-4 picks, 10 TFLs — before the lights went out, per ESPN Stats & Info. That’s not a fluke. That’s a beast ready to be unleashed…if his dome holds up.
The Data Don’t Lie: Brisker’s Upswing
Year
Games
Tackles
Sacks
INTs
Pass Breakups
FF
2022
15
104
4.0
1
2
1
2023
15
105
1.0
1
9
2
2024★
5
40
1.0
1
2
1
★ Pace-adjusted numbers project to career highs across the board.
PFF Grade: 65.3 overall, 70.3 coverage (20th among safeties) on just 293 snaps — impressive, per PFF.
Yards Per Target Allowed: 6.7 (14th among qualifiers).
Run Stop %: 6.3 (18th ranked).
Missed Tackle %: 14.7 (33rd ranked) — room to tighten up that wrap-up.
Scheme Fit: Dennis Allen’s Swiss Army Knife Safety
Dennis Allen isn’t swinging in New Orleans anymore; he’s here, and he’s got a fetish for safeties who can shock you pre-snap. Imagine Brisker as a chameleon: lining up in the box one down, nickel the next, then floating over the top on third-and-eight.
Interchangeable Roles: Box vs. deep vs. man coverage on TEs.
Disguise Master: Late-shift coverages that confuse quarterbacks.
Run Support: Eighth man in the box when the line stinks.
Allen’s track record speaks for itself. Just look at Malcolm Jenkins, who blossomed into a three-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro under Allen’s tutelage in New Orleans. And don’t forget Kurt Coleman, who led the league in interceptions in 2014 on an Allen-coached defense.
Allen’s Saints defenses were top‑10 beasts, holding foes under 20 points a game 10 straight times in 2018–19, per Football Outsiders. That’s air‑tight football, and Brisker fits the mold.
Contract Year Mojo: You Bet He’s Going Hard
Playing on the last yearof his rookie deal, Brisker has free agency in sight (March 2026), and the NFL safety market is hotter than a mid-August turf burn. Look at Antoine Winfield Jr.’s recent $84.1 million deal (Spotrac) — teams pay for playmakers. Brisker’s age-26 profile plus his breakout trajectory means he’ll be chasing every QB like a dog on a mailman.
The Elephant in the Room: Concussions
Brisker’s helmet’s seen more taps than a college keg stand:
2022: 1 concussion (2 games missed)
2023: 1 concussion (2 games missed)
2024: 1 brutal concussion (12 games missed)
That’s 16 out of 52 games gone (31%) due to head trauma. He logged 4+ months in rehab after Week 5’s nightmare [per team medical bulletins]. Historically, most guys bounce back in 2–3 weeks if the hit’s average; months suggests severity or extreme caution.
But OTAs and minicamp videos have him flying around, jawing at teammates, acting like he’s ready to tear someone a new one. Confidence is high — publicly and privately.
Projected 2025 Outlook
Here’s the meat and potatoes. Three scenarios, tackle projections—and trust me, you’ll want to eyeball these bars:
Pass Rush Boost: Grady Jarrett, Dayo Odeyingbo, Montez Sweat — that front four is finally respectable. More pressure means more juicy off-target throws for Brisker to rifle pick.
Tough Schedule, Big Moments: Bears draw 11 .500+ teams (.571 SOS). Every game’s a flex for Brisker to prove he’s ear-splittingly good.
Single-Focus Defense: Ben Johnson’s offense hums; Allen gets full attention. Brisker’s improvement will be micromanaged.
Why He Could Crash and Burn
Another Concussion: One more ding and it’s a career question mark. Study after study shows repeat head injuries stack risk.
Missed Time: If he’s ghosting games again, he’s not earning that payday or the trust of the locker room.
Mental Hurdles: Coming back from extended absence can mess with your instincts. Hesitation gets QBs killed.
Final Verdict
I’m dialing it in: if Brisker suits up for 14+ games, we’re back to seeing him in Pro Bowl chatter. If he hits 16–17, All-Pro buzz ain’t far behind. But if his dome fails him again, we’re talking bust territory — and that contract year magic turns into a cautionary tale.
