Tag: Donte Jackson

Donte Jackson says Panthers lining up rookie CB Troy Pride Jr. at multiple spots

Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson said some interesting things during his Zoom call with the media today.

Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson said some interesting things during his Zoom call with the media today.

For one thing, he’s taken on a leadership role in the cornerback room. As for his own game, Jackson says he worked with Ryan Clark this offseason to improve his technique and coverage.

Jackson also gave us our first hint at what might be happening at the slot position that was vacated by Javien Elliott. He says the team has been lining up fourth-round pick Troy Pride Jr. at multiple positions.

Pride mostly played outside cornerback at Notre Dame. However, he’s undersized to play the same role in the NFL, particularly in a division that has three of the game’s best big receivers in Julio Jones, Michael Thomas and Mike Evans.

Pride might be better suited to defend the slot, where most of the league has typically lined up smaller receivers. Trends change, though. To name a few, Jared Cook, Allen Robinson and Keenan Allen have produced a great deal of offense from the slot position in recent years and all three are on the schedule this season, not to mention Rob Gronkowski.

Either way, one idea we should get used to is not assigning fixed roles for Carolina’s defenders as much as in the past.

Defensive coordinator Phil Snow and coach Matt Rhule have both made it clear they love positionless players on this side of the ball. Young and versatile talents like Pride, Jeremy Chinn and Brian Burns will all move around.

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Who is the best bounce-back candidate for the Panthers in 2020?

The current Panthers roster is an odd mix of rookies, rising young stars and veterans with something to prove after having a rough season in 2019.

The current Panthers roster is an odd mix of rookies, rising young stars and veterans with something to prove after having a rough season in 2019.

One of those vets looking for a turnaround is left tackle Russell Okung, who has been named by Pro Football Focus as the team’s top bounce-back candidate this coming season, per ESPN. PFF mentions Okung’s health issues, but also cites a career-low grade last year.

“A pulmonary embolism due to blood clots in his lungs limited Okung to six games in 2019, but he still produced the worst PFF grade of his career in that span. His run blocking was the key driver in the dip in play; he ended the regular season with a 56.4 run-block grade that ranked 55th among 89 qualifying players at the position and was by far the lowest mark of his NFL career.”

We see where PFF is going, but there are better candidates.

The first name that comes to mind is cornerback Donte Jackson, who suffered a regression in 2019 after a promising rookie year. Jackson remains extraordinarily fast and athletic. However, he has developed a habit of gambling in order to make big plays and opposing teams have taken advantage. Last season, Jackson allowed five touchdowns in coverage and a 103.2 passer rating. He also missed too many tackles. PFF took note, giving Jackson a 55.6 overall grade for the season. Jackson’s future could still be bright based on his physical gifts. Remember, there was a time when Marcus Peters went through a similar phase early in his career, and he’s since become one of the top 10 corners in the league.

Another quality candidate is the guy who may start on the other side, former Saints cornerback Eli Apple. He only gave up two touchdowns in 2019, but his passer rating when targeted was 100.9, a significant bump from the previous season. While PFF appreciated his run defense, Apple only got a 63.8 rating for the year. He’s in a similar situation as Jackson. With the right coaching, both could turn their careers around.

The best potential bounce-back player on the Panthers this year though is their starting center, Matt Paradis. He signed a three-year deal with Carolina last March and was supposed to offer a smooth transition into the post-Ryan Kalil era. Unfortunately, Paradis had a brutal 2019 season in pass protection. In the end, he earned a 43.8 pass blocking grade from PFF, bringing his overall grade down to 63.4 overall.

Part of Paradis’ issues may have been due to the fractured fibula he suffered the previous year. Sometimes it takes more than a season to fully recover from that kind of serious leg injury. The continually revolving door at left guard didn’t help Paradis, either. If he’s able to return to form in 2020, it will be a huge boost for Carolina’s entire offense. When healthy, Paradis has been one of the highest-ranked centers in PFF’s grading in the past.

Let’s open this up to a vote. Who do you think is this year’s top bounce-back candidate?

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Vikings pass on Mike Hughes, take Donte Jackson in 2018 redraft

Hughes actually finished with a better Pro Football Focus grade than Jackson in 2019.

In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Vikings took cornerback Mike Hughes with the 30th overall pick.

While Hughes has been solid when he’s been on the field, he’s never really seemed to get into a groove with the Vikings.

In 2020, he’ll have no choice. Without Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes, Hughes is the favorite to be the top cornerback on the depth chart.

If the Vikings could do it again, would they still draft Hughes?

Zone Coverage’s Luke Inman says no.

Inman has the Vikings drafting cornerback Donte Jackson who was originally drafted 55th overall by the Carolina Panthers.

Here’s what Inman wrote about the pick and comparing Hughes to Jackson:

Put me in the minority if you’d like, but Hughes’ best football is still ahead of him. When healthy he has gotten better and better under Mike Zimmer’s tutelage. However, when compared side by side, Jackson has been the better playmaker with freaky speed and a knack for the big play after leading all second-year players with seven interceptions. While I fully expect Hughes to be Zimmer’s No. 1 corner in 2020, in a redo scenario Jackson’s ability to lock up offenses’ best wideouts is too good to pass up now that you know what you’re getting.

In 2019, Hughes finished with a Pro Football Focus grade of 58.7, a mark that ranked 78th among corners in the NFL. Jackson ranked 89th with a grade of 55.6.

You can check out Inman’s full redraft here.

Donte Jackson gets highest speed rating among CBs in ‘Madden 21’

According to ESPN, Jackson has been given the highest speed rating (96) among cornerbacks in the latest edition of the Madden franchise.

Donte Jackson had a tough 2019 season. After struggling in coverage too often, he wound up getting benched the last two games after publicly falling out with Panthers interim coach Perry Fewell. Jackson remains an exceptional athlete with a lot of potential, though. One thing you can’t take away from him is that he’s still one of the fastest players in the entire league.

According to ESPN, Jackson has been given the highest speed rating (96) among cornerbacks in the latest edition of the Madden franchise.

It may seem like centuries ago given the way 2020 has gone, but at the combine Jackson ran a 4.32 second 40-yard dash. He also finished in second place in the 40-yard dash tournament last year.

If defensive coordinator Phil Snow and cornerbacks coach Evan Cooper can get Jackson to play with a little more discipline, he could still go on to have a very successful NFL career.

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What’s the worst-case scenario for the Panthers in 2020?

If the team suffers serious injuries or gets unlucky, they can certainly lose more than six games.

The Panthers aren’t going to be a playoff contender this year, assuming there is a season. Our prediction is that the team will go 6-10, which will probably put them in last place in the NFC South again but also keep them out of the running for the top quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL draft.

Things can get worse, though. If the team suffers serious injuries or gets unlucky, they can certainly lose more than six games.

According to Pro Football Focus, their worst-case scenario for Carolina has them going 4-12 this season, thanks mostly to glaring issues in coverage at the cornerback and linebacker positions. Here’s what they had to say about this possibility.

“The defense just can’t stop anyone. Donte Jackson (55.6 overall grade in 2019) and Eli Apple (63.8 overall grade in 2019), with little in the way of depth behind them, get picked apart by some of the league’s best wide receivers in the NFC South. There is a glaring Luke Kuechly-sized hole in the middle of the field, as well ─ something that can’t be filled by Tahir Whitehead and his 14 receiving touchdowns allowed since 2018 (six more than any other linebacker).”

On the other hand, their best-case scenario has the Panthers going 9-7, powered by a breakout year from D.J. Moore and solid contributions from the other wide receivers with Teddy Bridgewater and Joe Brady running the show.

If that’s going to happen, they’ll need their new-look offensive line to exceed expectations and Phil Snow will have to show some true schematic genius.

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Phil Snow comments on Panthers’ cornerbacks: ‘They have talent’

Phil Snow comments on Panthers’ cornerbacks: ‘They have talent’

Cornerback is a critical position for success in today’s NFL. Teams that are wanting at this spot are usually going to get toasted by opponents who have any firepower at wide receiver and a competent quarterback. In the NFC South, that’s everybody.

The 2020 season is going to be a rough one for the Panthers for a lot of reason, but their lack of depth and inexperience at cornerback is probably at the top of the list. In addition to having to lean on unproven DBs or those trying to bounce back from bad seasons, they may be facing the most brutal string of oponents at wide receiver in the league this year.

Defensive coordinator Phil Snow knows he has his work cut out for him, but he has faith in his young corners. Here’s what he said about them earlier this week, per the official team website.

“If you look at how fast they are, and their size, they have talent. So it’s our job as coaches to get them to play at a level that we want them to play. That’s our job as coaches. We can use excuses and do all that stuff, but that’s not what Coach (Matt) Rhule’s about. When we get a player, we need to develop the player. And we picked these players for the most part. We picked Eli Apple, and you look at his size and speed, we expect him to play good.”

The most talented of this group is probably third-year corner Donte Jackson, who was benched late in the 2019 season. Snow shared some thoughts on No. 26 as well.

“First of all, Donte’s really tough for his size. He’s physical, which I love. In today’s football, everybody’s getting in the tight formations to run the football and make the corners tackle. He can do that. So I’m excited about that. You look at how well he runs — he has catch-up speed. The problem is, is he needs to get a little more detailed. We’ve talked to him about that, and with our DB coaches, they’re working well with him, and I think he’s got some real talent to him.”

It’s nice that Snow has faith in his guys, but every NFL cornerback has talent. They wouldn’t have made it this far without it. The challenge will be getting Jackson, Apple and rookie Troy Pride Jr. to live up to their potential.

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Panthers GM Marty Hurney says veteran cornerback is the priority

Cornerback remains a major problem, even after the team picked Notre Dame’s Troy Pride Jr. in the fourth round of the draft and Stantley Thomas-Oliver in the seventh. 

The Panthers roster is mostly set for the 2020 season. There are still a few spots that need to be addressed, though.

Cornerback remains a major problem, even after the team picked Notre Dame’s Troy Pride Jr. in the fourth round of the draft and Stantley Thomas-Oliver in the seventh.

On WFNZ today, general manager Marty Hurney admitted that bringing in a veteran cornerback is the priority right now as far as adding to the roster. He also mentioned defensive tackle and the offensive line, per the Charlotte Observer.

Problem is, there’s not many options at this point in the offseason. The Panthers would be in better position now if they had signed a corner in the first phase of free agency or drafted another one early on – perhaps after trading down in the first round.

Anyway, the list of names at cornerback is short. Logan Ryan is in a tier to himself but the team doesn’t have enough cap room to sign him. After Ryan, there’s a handful of busts and B-listers like Eli Apple, Darqueze Dennard, Mackensie Alexander and Trumaine Johnson.

The best choice may be somebody else.

Ross Cockrell played relatively well last season and earned 11 starts. He finished the year with two interceptions and eight pass breakups and was solid enough in coverage. Cockrell is probably never going to make the Pro Bowl, but it makes more sense to bring him back than signing these others.

Unless the Panthers find a way to clear enough room for Logan Ryan, Cockrell should get the opportunity.

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ESPN: Cornerback still the Panthers’ biggest roster hole after the draft

According to an analysis by ESPN, the team’s biggest roster hole after the draft is still the cornerback position.

The Carolina Panthers picked up four new defensive backs in the 2020 NFL draft. That doesn’t mean they couldn’t still use some help on the back end, though. According to an analysis by ESPN, the team’s biggest roster hole after the draft is still the cornerback position.

“The Panthers made the unprecedented decision to use all seven of their 2020 draft picks on defensive players, and yet the team somehow still has several holes on defense. . . Alongside Donte Jackson, the team will have to rely on some combination of a 2017 fifth-rounder in Corn Elder, an undrafted second-year player in Cole Luke, and a pair of Day 3 rookies in Troy Pride and Stantley Thomas-Oliver. None of those corners has started an NFL game, and yet two of them will need to play first-team reps in nickel situations this season.”

It’s tough to argue with that logic.

At the moment, we’re projecting Donte Jackson and Troy Pride will start outside. Both have question marks. Jackson was benched late in the 2019 season due to repeated mistakes in coverage and Pride might be undersized to match up with some of the NFC South’s longer receivers like Mike Evans and Julio Jones.

There’s also the question of who will inherit the slot corner role from Javien Elliott, who is still a free agent.

Our best guess is that position will be filled by Jeremy Chinn, who is capable of lining up at almost any spot in the defensive backfield. His size and athleticism should allow him to blanket the smaller receivers you typically see playing the slot. That’s only an educated guess, though.

Adding a veteran corner would not be a bad idea. While Logan Ryan is the top slot corner on the market, the team doesn’t have much cap space left.

In any case, starting multiple rookies in the secondary is a risky proposition. This group will either sink or swim.

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Perry Fewell says Ross Cockrell will start over Donte Jackson again

As he has all season, Cockrell did well for himself against the Colts.

Carolina Panthers interim head coach Perry Fewell made a notable change on defense last week, starting Ross Cockrell opposite James Bradberry rather than Donte Jackson. Jackson has had issues in coverage all season and didn’t help his case by criticizing Fewell’s defensive play-calling a couple weeks ago, so benching him is an understandable decision.

As he has all season, Cockrell did well for himself against the Colts. He played every defensive snap (64) and posted a team-high 10 tackles. This week, Fewell says Cockrell will start over Jackson again, but he won’t get every rep, according to Joe Person at the Athletic.

Cockrell missed the entire 2018 season due to a serious leg injury. He’s bounced back well though and should be considered for an extension.

Even if Cockrell does come back and Bradberry also re-signs, the Panthers could still use more depth at corner. In a new mock at Draft Wire, they take Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah at No. 8 overall.

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Familiar failures send Panthers to sixth straight loss

The Carolina Panthers, now at 5-9 and losers of six consecutive games, can be called plenty of things—most of them bad.

The Carolina Panthers, now at 5-9 and losers of six consecutive games, can be called plenty of things—most of them bad. But the one word you cannot use to describe this team is “inconsistent.” In another familiar outcome, the Panthers fell short against the visiting Seattle Seahawks, 30-24, on Sunday afternoon. As usual, it was their penchant for turnovers, lack of takeaways and futile run defense that put them to the wrong side of the win-loss column once again.

The Seahawks took control early and put themselves in a position to park the proverbial bus, thanks to Carolina’s defensive disorganization. Running back Chris Carson (24 carries, 133 yards) got the scoring started on a 16-yard touchdown run not even five minutes in, capping off an eight-play, 75-yard opening drive for Seattle.

Quarterback Russell Wilson led his offense back into the end zone on their next two drives, staking a 20-7 lead at the 10:19 mark of the second quarter. Those possessions were highlighted by a pair of deep completions by Wilson, a 44-yarder to Tyler Lockett and a 58-yarder to Josh Gordon – ending in two 19-yard touchdown throws – both at the expense of cornerback Donte Jackson.

After criticizing the team’s defensive play-calling in last week’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Jackson and his nightmarish afternoon couldn’t have come at a more humbling time. During his post-game presser, interim head coach Perry Fewell stated that he considered benching the second-year corner. Fewell also told reporters he didn’t plan to put rookie quarterback Will Grier in action today despite another poor performance from the position, simply saying “No, not today.”

Oddly enough, that’s exactly what Kyle Allen’s play said today as well.

Before piecing together another one of his patented failed comebacks, Allen put the Panthers in a deep hole with his rancid passing. He added three more interceptions to what has been an absolutely dreadful run following his highly-acclaimed start to 2019, bringing his total to 15 over 12 games.

Combine Allen’s knack to inexplicably morph opposing defenders into really good receivers with the defense’s inability to conjure up big plays, and Carolina has totaled 16 turnovers and just two takeaways in these six straight defeats.

While the Panthers did inch within a single score after trailing by as much as 20 in the fourth quarter, as Christian McCaffrey (175 total yards, two touchdowns) kept the team alive, that failure to stop Wilson, Carson and the Seahawks late put the game on ice.

Even with Ron Rivera gone, Fewell has provided much of the same trends and results—mainly those three aforementioned fatal flaws and, headlined by the inactivity of Grier and edge rusher Christian Miller, a notable disinterest in getting his young players in-game reps.

Only two more and it’s over.

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