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Outside of the unprecedented free agency splurge, the New England Patriots are typically frugal in their spending.
There’s a reason Bill Belichick has been able to hold on to the greatest quarterback in NFL history, while keeping together Super Bowl contending rosters for two decades. The Patriots’ reputation of winning and helping players improve has been oftentimes enough to hand out team friendly contracts.
JC Jackson, 25, is currently sitting on the tough side of the business end after getting a second-round tender placed on him. If he signs the tender, he’ll get $3.384 million this season. If another team were to sign him to an offer sheet and the Patriots declined, they would receive a second round pick. If New England would have signed him to a first-round tender, he’d receive $4.766 million and it’d be much less likely for him to leave this offseason.
Jackson is a restricted free agent and will become an unrestricted free agent by next season. He knows becoming one of the league’s most efficient cornerbacks and may be hinting at some frustration with his Instagram story on Sunday.
My take on JC Jackson’s Instagram story is he’s saying he’s working hard in order to maximize his value. I’d predict he plays this season on his tender hits free agency in 2022. He has a legit chance to create generational wealth with another good season. He knows that. pic.twitter.com/yjkLPO5noP
— Mark Daniels (@MarkDanielsPJ) April 11, 2021
Jackson had the second-most interceptions in the league last year (9) and he scooped up two fumble recoveries. He joined the Patriots in 2018 as an undrafted free agent, collecting 17 interceptions and 30 passes deflected over that time.
With uncertainty mounting with Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty for the upcoming season, it’d difficult to let go of a young and improving player like Jackson. Belichick has the upcoming draft to worry about, but Jackson’s future should be high up on the list for 2021.
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