Tag: Donte Jackson

What the newest Pittsburgh Steelers are saying about Mike Tomlin

How the newest members of the Steelers are reacting to playing under Mike Tomlin

Calling Mike Tomlin popular amongst players would be like calling La La Land a good movie – it’s so much of an understatement that it’s borderline offensive.

Guys love playing for him, and several players highlight the Super Bowl-winning head coach as a reason for coming to Pittsburgh, similar to new linebacker Patrick Queen who joined Pittsburgh from the division-rival Baltimore Ravens.

During his introductory press conference, Queen was asked what the biggest reason was for his jump to Pittsburgh.

“That man standing right there,” Queen said motioning to Tomlin.

New quarterback Justin Fields was asked about Mike Tomlin, as well, after the final day of OTAs in Pittsburgh.

“Before I got here, I heard nothing but great things about Coach T,” Fields said. “That’s what I’ve seen in person being here. He’s a great coach, great leader.”

But that’s only two of the several new faces in Pittsburgh. So, after the second day of mandatory minicamp, I made my rounds and spoke to several first-year Steelers to get their early impressions on what it’s like to play for Mike Tomlin.

Nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson sang the praises of Tomlin, calling him a future Hall of Famer.

“Mike’s been amazing, man,” Wilson said. “Coach Tomlin is a special coach. A Hall of Fame coach, and I’m grateful for him. The culture he’s established is amazing, and his work ethic is great, too. I’m just grateful to be here.”

Veteran wide receiver Scotty Miller was signed by the Steelers in early May, and he says that Tomlin is everything he expected him to be.

“It’s been everything you think of and hear about him and what he’s about,” Miller said. “That’s exactly who he is. When he walks into the meeting room, just the command he has over that room every morning, he’s just a great leader and he gets everyone going. He’s a very inspiring coach.”

Cornerback Donte Jackson was acquired by Pittsburgh in March as part of the package the Carolina Panthers sent to the Steelers in exchange for wide receiver Diontae Johnson, and he echoed Miller’s sentiment.

“He’s definitely as advertised,” Jackson said. “You hear a lot about him being on the outside looking in. He loves football. He loves Steelers football.”

Pittsburgh added another veteran cornerback, Anthony Averett, via free agency in mid-May. He highlights the atmosphere that his new head coach brings.

“He’s exciting. I was just happy to be back playing football, but with Mike I definitely like the guy. It’s a good atmosphere that he brings. He’s definitely a player’s coach.”

Defensive lineman Dean Lowry was signed as a free agent in late March. He spent last season with the Minnesota Vikings, and he highlighted how excited he was to play for a defensive-minded head coach.

“He’s great,” Lowry said. “Just his daily energy, his relationship with the players – he’s a guy who’s always around and making his points known. It’s cool playing for a defensive-minded head coach, too. It’s the first time in my career that I’ve had that. So I can definitely see his approach in the way he motivates his guys.”

Running back La’Mical Perine won a Super Bowl last year with the Kansas City Chiefs and was added to the roster on the third day of OTAs.

“He’s a very high-energy coach,” Perine said. “Always brings his best foot forward every day. He’s very detail-oriented and likes seeing guys compete.”

It’s not just the veterans that have these kinds of reactions, though. Nor is it just the high-profile draft picks and signees. Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent, and he says all of the tales and legends of Mike Tomlin are true.

“You hear a lot about him,” Plumlee said. “You hear that players love him, they love playing for him, they love being in the building with him. Being here, all of that has been confirmed. He’s an awesome coach, an unbelievable leader of men. I don’t know what else you can ask for in a head coach. It’s been really fun to be around him and to watch how he operates and leads this group.”

For as long as Tomlin has been at the helm in Pittsburgh, he has been polarizing to the fan base. There’s never really seemed to be a middle ground. If you’re a Steelers fan, you’re either ready to die on the shield of Mike Tomlin like Mel Gibson in Braveheart, or you want him fired tomorrow. But for the Tomlin naysayers, the way he makes players feel, and having the ability to bring guys in simply because they want to play for him is invaluable to Pittsburgh.

I’ll spare all readers of praising the whole “never had a losing record” trope because it’s far overdone and, frankly, it isn’t what makes Tomlin so great. The relationships and trust he builds with his players to get the most out of them year in and year out is what makes Tomlin so special. And heading into year 18 at the head of the Steelers’ table, and just days off of signing a three-year extension, he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Steelers CBs near the bottom in ESPN positional rankings

ESPN ranks the Steelers cornerbacks No. 27 in the NFL.

One of the big moves the Pittsburgh Steelers made this offseason was the trade that sent wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for cornerback Donte Jackson. By all accounts, Jackson is working into the rotation quickly and Jackson is confident he can shadow top receivers just like Joey Porter Jr. did last season.

ESPN doesn’t agree. Well maybe they do, but like us they have serious concerns about the rest of the depth chart and if there can be improvements made.

Mike Clay put out his positional unit rankings and for the Steelers cornerbacks, he has them all the way down at No. 27. Probably a fair rankings considering how far the drop-off is after Porter and Jackson.

The good news is the Steelers might have help on the way. We fully expect to see Patrick Peterson back on the team at some point and even better the team might get Cameron Sutton back as well. If this happens it completely flips the script for the Steelers cornerback room.

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Donte Jackson says time with Panthers helped him adjust to Steelers

At least the instability in Carolina paid off somehow for former Panthers CB Donte Jackson.

So, how’s the other end of the Diontae Johnson trade doing?

Former Carolina Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson is currently acclimating to life as a Pittsburgh Steeler. He spoke with reporters after Thursday’s outing of team organized activities, and was asked how that transition is going.

“It’s been great,” he replied. “It’s a football building. It’s just great to get in here with these guys and just learn the system and just learn the Steeler way, learn how everybody do things. It’s been amazing though. Everything I thought it would be when I first found out that I got traded here.”

He got traded there back on March 12. The swap saw Jackson and the 2024 draft’s 178th overall pick swing over to the Steel City in exchange for Johnson and the 240th selection.

Jackson was then asked about having to learn a new defense.

“I played in Carolina for all my career, but I’ve had five different defensive systems that I had to be in,” he said. “So even though I was in the same uniform, I still had to make sure we honed in those details. And so it’s kinda the same way here. Just making sure you learn every little detail. You understanding the language, ’cause that be the biggest thing when you learning new defenses.”

The 2017 second-round pick spent his first six NFL seasons in Carolina, where (as stated) he had to learn five different systems. Jackson played under defensive coordinators Steve Wilks (2017), Eric Washington (2018-2019), Phil Snow (2020-2022), Al Holcomb (2022) and Ejiro Evero (2023).

But hopefully, at least for Donte’s sake, things will be a lot more stable in his new digs.

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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin looking for a leap from young CBs

The Steelers have some quality young cornerbacks on the roster.

The offseason has been busy for the Pittsburgh Steelers in an attempt to turn over a solid chunk of the roster. One position where there were plenty of changes is at cornerback. Out are Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace, Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley.

But as we’ve already pointed out, the Steelers might have enough cornerbacks on the roster already and don’t need to target one early in the 2024 NFL draft. Two guys in particular we are excited to see are Cory Trice Jr. and Darius Rush.

On Monday, head coach Mike Tomlin talked about those two guys and said he expected a significant step for them in their second seasons.

“They’re going into their second year,” Tomlin said. “We expect guys going into their second year to make a significant step.”

If the Steelers have confidence in Trice and Rush, in addition to new cornerback Donte Jackson, they might not need to spend a top pick on a starter or even a slot cornerback.

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2024 NFL draft: Steelers hosting speedy CB for Top 30 visit

The Steelers traded for Donte Jackson but still need more help at cornerback.

According to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, the Pittsburgh Steelers will host former Rutgers cornerback Max Melton for a Top 30 predraft visit.

The Steelers added cornerback Donte Jackson in the trade that sent top wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. He should be a solid outside starter to pair up with Joey Porter Jr. Nevertheless, another top cornerback is needed, whether in the slot or boundary.

Melton is a natural slot cornerback but isn’t limited to just that. He is a long strider with good length and lots of closing speed. Melton also has exceptional ball skills and does a great job tracking the football in the air. The only real downside of Melton’s game as far as the Steelers go is his struggles in defending the run.

Melton projects as a late second, early third-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. His skills in many other draft classes would warrant him being selected higher but this class is very deep and talented.

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Is Dane Jackson the favorite to be Panthers’ CB2 in 2024?

The Athletic’s Joe Person believes the Panthers will give free-agent signee Dane Jackson a chance to win the CB2 job this season.

When it comes to who will start opposite of Jaycee Horn in the Carolina Panthers secondary this season, the answer may already be on the roster.

All things considered, president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan set his Panthers up quite nicely during the transition from free agency to the 2024 draft. The front office filled a handful of pressing needs—signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, trading for former Pro Bowl wideout Diontae Johnson and convincing pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney to come home—in allowing them to pick the best players available later this month.

But what about the cornerback position? Not only did Carolina ship off a longtime starter in Donte Jackson, but they also added just one player to the mix—Dane Jackson.

But according to Joe Person of The Athletic, Jackson may be all the Panthers need to fill the CB2 spot. In his latest seven-round mock draft, Person notes that the team will give the free-agent signee “a chance to win” the starting spot.

That may not be a shock considering Morgan’s history with Jackson, whom he “pounded the table for” a few years back. While serving as the director of player personnel for the Buffalo Bills, Morgan pushed for the selection of the Pittsburgh corner in the seventh round of the 2020 draft.

Since then, Jackson has recorded 28 starts over his 52 NFL outings.

Other than Jackson, the current depth chart has a handful of more inexperienced options for the outside. Discounting Troy Hill—who will man the nickel—the Panthers could look to D’Shawn Jamison, Dicaprio Bootle and Lamar Jackson.

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Steelers dodge expensive bullet with CB L’Jarius Sneed

The Steelers got their new starting cornerback without having to break the bank.

One of the NFL players many fans and pundits targeted for the Pittsburgh Steelers was Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. The Chiefs made it no secret the talented cornerback was on the trading block due in large part to his contract demands as he was going to play on the franchise tag in 2024.

Thankfully, the Steelers didn’t want to be strapped with yet another huge contract on the most expensive defensive in the league and instead, the Tennessee Titans worked a deal for Sneed and are paying him big time.

The Titans sent a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL and will swap seventh-round picks in 2024 for Sneed. A more-than-fair trade. But it’s the contract that Tennessee is reportedly giving him that would have surely scared off the Steelers if they even had any interest. Four years and $55 million guaranteed with a total value of somewhere in the vicinity of $76 million is steep.

Pittsburgh didn’t sit around and do nothing. They traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson for cornerback Donte Jackson giving them a starting outside cornerback to pair up with Joey Porter Jr. and did it for far less investment.

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Panthers CB Jaycee Horn after eventful start to free agency: ‘Ima miss my dawgs’

Panthers CB Jaycee Horn is feeling the effects of a painful start to free agency.

Carolina Panthers president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan may on the hunt for some dawgs right now, but he’s still lost a few in the process.

On Monday, the home locker room over at Bank of America Stadium picked up a few very painful vacancies. After we learned that the Panthers were planning to part ways with safety Vonn Bell, they fell short in trying to retain linebacker Frankie Luvu and then traded two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants.

The losses hit quite hard for many involved with the organization, including starting cornerback Jaycee Horn . . .

Horn wasn’t the only player to feel the effects of the eventful day. Longtime Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson posted, in a since deleted tweet, a similar sentiment—stating that it was a “sad day.”

Along with Bell, Luvu and Burns, the Panthers defense is also expected to be without corner Donte Jackson in 2024. All four were starters for the unit this past season.

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Panthers LB Shaq Thompson: ‘It’s a sad day’

Shaq Thompson summed up a pretty rough day for Panthers fans.

Shaq Thompson was all of us on Monday.

The opening of this year’s legal tampering period brought some punishing blows for the Carolina Panthers and their fans. We started the eventful and exhausting afternoon by taking the expected release of safety Vonn Bell on the chin and went on to eat two gut punches with the loss of linebacker Frankie Luvu and the trade of pass rusher Brian Burns.

With the defense losing three key members, one of its leaders tweeted this in the painful aftermath:

 

Thompson then went on to see another fellow backer in Yetur Gross-Matos find a new home, as he reportedly has a two-year, $18 million deal in place with the San Francisco 49ers. The dearly departed will also include tight end Hayden Hurst, center Bradley Bozeman and cornerback Donte Jackson—all of whom are expected to be let go before March 16.

Sadly enough, the second-longest tenured Panther may be next. Thompson, who turns 30 years old in April, is entering the final season of a reworked pact.

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Panthers reportedly releasing S Vonn Bell

Per NFL Network, the Panthers are planning to release S Vonn Bell.

Vonn Bell’s stint with the Carolina Panthers may have already come to an end.

As first reported by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero on Monday, the team is planning to release the 29-year-old safety. Bell signed a three-year, $22.5 million deal with the Panthers last spring.

The only season that pact saw through resulted in 13 games for the veteran defender—who amassed 69 combined tackles, one interception, two passes defensed and one quarterback hit. By Pro Football Focus’ standards, he was good enough for an overall defensive grade of 63.9—the lowest since his rookie campaign back in 2016.

With the Panthers moving on to their latest regime under new general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales, Bell is the latest player the team is deciding to cut ties with. Carolina is also reportedly parting ways with tight end Hayden Hurst, center Bradley Bozeman and cornerback Donte Jackson.

Bell was due a $3 million roster bonus on March 16.

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