When the Washington Commanders signed cornerback William Jackson III to a three-year contract in March 2021, he was supposed to be the team’s No. 1 cornerback.
In Jackson’s first season, he played in 12 games but was mostly inconsistent. Jackson, known for his skills in man coverage, played zone coverage primarily in his first season for Washington. In the offseason, Jackson talked about adjusting to Washington’s defensive scheme.
Throughout the first four weeks of the 2022 NFL season, Jackson’s struggles continued, and in the first half of Washington’s Week 5 game against the Tennessee Titans, he was replaced by Benjamin St-Juste.
St-Juste, who moved to slot cornerback in the offseason, played outside against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3 and his best game of the season. When Jackson returned in Week 4, St-Juste moved back inside.
With Jackson on the bench, the Commanders used Rachad Wildgoose in the slot.
Jackson suffered no apparent on the day, and his absence is considered a coach’s decision. It will be interesting to see what Ron Rivera says about Jackson after the game.