# Jerry Markarian: Markarian expects D'Marco Jackson to hold a significant role in Chicago's 2026 defense — a starter in the base defense and the passing-down linebacker alongside Devin Bush, with T.J. Edwards handling early downs and potentially being leapfrogged by Jackson. **Claimed:** Sep 6, 2026 **Pundit:** Jerry Markarian — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/jerry-markarian **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/onsi/d-marco-jackson-will-play-an-underrated-and-key-role-on-bears-defense 3 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one. > Jackson won't be guaranteed a role on early downs (although he'd still be a starter in their base defense) right out of the gate. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **T.J. Edwards to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: T.J. Edwards, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **D'Marco Jackson to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: D'Marco Jackson, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Devin Bush to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Devin Bush, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - T.J. Edwards — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/t-j-edwards - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - D'Marco Jackson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/d-marco-jackson - Devin Bush — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/devin-bush ## What others said about the same people - Danny Parkins on Kadyn Proctor: Danny Parkins presented his one-and-only 2026 mock draft, including trades: Mendoza at 1 to the Raiders, David Bailey second to the Jets, the Cowboys trading up to No. 3 for Arvell Reese, the Bears trading up to 16 for Kadyn Proctor, and Ty Simpson going to Arizona at 32 at the end of round one. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d98bca2f-5fc3-4f68-8389-30f9a2cb906f (scored 84.09) - Nick Wright on Akheem Mesidor: Nick Wright unveiled his full 32-pick 2026 NFL mock draft 4.0, starting with Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 and ending with Avion Terrell to the Seahawks at 32. He also called Carnell Tate the best/safest receiver in the class, projected Ty Simpson inside the top 45, said Mendoza profiles as a low-end top-15 NFL quarterback, and expected the Dolphins to lose 15 games. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c5ad8a4-034f-4abb-8806-20dd9e44b5c6 (scored 87.81) - David Harrison on Emmanuel McNeil-Warren: Harrison delivers his only first-round mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft, projecting all 32 first-round picks (including several trades) plus the rest of Washington's projected class, while noting it is an exercise in what could happen rather than a firm forecast. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5cc44fc1-4ff9-447a-9c32-5f715fa6e9ba (scored 23.94) - Daniel Jeremiah on Keldric Faulk: Daniel Jeremiah's final 2026 NFL mock draft, projecting the first round pick by pick (including mock trades), starting with Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 and ending with Peter Woods to the Ravens via a trade with Seattle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0fbc7597-86ee-4037-a1e6-4b062ff9f12c (scored 77.11) - Brandon Carney on T.J. Parker: Co-hosting a mock draft, Carney made the odd-numbered picks: Fernando Mendoza No. 1 to the Raiders, Arvell Reese No. 3 to the Cardinals, Sonny Styles No. 5 to the Giants, Mekhi Lemon No. 7 to the Commanders, Caleb Downs No. 9 to the Chiefs, and more. He also predicted AJ Brown will be a Patriot, said Kenyan Saddiq will be the first-round bust, and picked the Bengals to finish ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7184a8b6-1036-4304-a147-3b8889e3f86b (scored 64.84) - Gregg Rosenthal on Malachi Lawrence: Rosenthal delivered a solo first-round mock draft (a "will happen" mock, no trades), naming a specific player at each of the first 32 picks. He also predicted he'd hit more than 4.5 picks correctly, and suggested George Pickens could be traded by Dallas next year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e0b75c16-85ff-4257-8b56-d51a668d725c (scored 91.7) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: Bahns calls it reality that Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, with Deshaun Watson set to fail. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/18802de8-941e-4551-b6e3-df7a752020b6 (scored 0) - Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: A CBS Sports preseason overreaction column argues Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, that Ja'Kobi Lane has a real path to a No. 2 receiver role as a rookie, and that Kenneth Walker III is a legitimate lead back atop the Chiefs' depth chart. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e82d31e3-169f-4419-a38c-ceaaa1d053a7 (scored 0) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Jonah Coleman: In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2cbd48f6-15ea-4aa5-84bc-bcc50d94d09a (scored 0) - Fox Sports on Michael Penix Jr.: Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a90e69a8-707f-43e9-a63e-cdb3e7bd0829 (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100) - Matt Severance on Deshaun Watson: The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/944568ce-7205-409f-8354-a392016fd8bf (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=jerry-markarian