Former New England Patriots All-Pro cornerback J.C. Jackson has been suspended for one regular season game for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Jackson is currently a free agent after being released by the Patriots back in March.
His second stint with the team was a serious disappointment in comparison to his initial run, when he earned an All-Pro nod and helped the defense shut down the Los Angeles Rams’ offense to win Super Bowl LIII. He ended up signing a blockbuster five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers.
When things didn’t work out in Los Angeles, he was ultimately traded back to the Patriots in 2023 for a seventh-round draft pick.
With Jackson only being 28 years old, there’s hope he can land on his feet somewhere and end his NFL career on his own terms. There was an initial report after Jackson’s release from the Patriots that the two sides had mutual interest in a potential reunion down the road.
Perhaps that’s still a possibility at some point. Jackson might have to settle into more of a reserve role in a Patriots secondary that’s crowded at the top of the depth chart.
With Stephon Gilmore now off the street, the Panthers could look to target one of these five free-agent cornerbacks:
Despite the months-long build, the reunion between the Carolina Panthers and cornerback Stephon Gilmore was simply not to be.
As announced on Monday, the Minnesota Vikings have signed the Rock Hill, S.C. native to a one-year deal worth up to $10 million. That decision may have burned the Panthers, who reportedly offered Gilmore a pact of their own.
While Carolina probably wasn’t looking to match financials on the agreement, Gilmore’s move up north hurts a bit more considering the setback to Dane Jackson—a projected starter for the defense this season. Jackson, according to head coach Dave Canales, is expected to miss approximately six weeks after sustaining a “significant” hamstring injury.
But are there any similar options out there for the corner-needy Panthers?
Here are five possible free-agent targets with Gilmore now off the board:
Eli Apple
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Yeah, yeah . . . most of you are probably rolling your eyes at this first entry. But if the Panthers are looking for a veteran corner with experience manning the outside, then this Apple doesn’t far fall from the tree.
The former 10th overall pick has started in 34 of his 41 games since 2021, when he was featured by the then-AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed a 104.3 passer rating as a Miami Dolphin this past season—producing a better mark than the likes of Taron Johnson, Carlton Davis III and James Bradberry.
Rashad Fenton
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Fenton may be another tough sell to those of you reading this. Not only did he miss the entire 2023 season after being placed on injured reserve by the Arizona Cardinals, but his 2022 (the last NFL campaign he did play) was undoubtedly his worst offering as a pro.
But like Apple, Fenton is a vet who has picked up reps on the outside. Plus, his three full years with the Kansas City Chiefs yielded some nice results—as he earned PFF coverage grades of 78.4, 75.0 and 81.1 from 2019 to 2021.
Adoree’ Jackson
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This fella may be more of what you’re looking for, Panthers fans.
A slightly bigger name than Apple and Fenton, Jackson offers a solid track record over his seven-year NFL career. Save for this last season for the New York Giants, the former first-rounder has never earned a PFF coverage grade of under 66.8.
J.C. Jackson
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From one Jackson to another, J.C. has also built up a decent résumé. Are the 28-year-old’s best days, however, already behind him?
Jackson was a standout for Bill Belichick’s defense in New England up until 2021, when he reeled in a Second-team All-Pro nod and his first Pro Bowl selection. But it’s been a bumpy ride since, as he struggled in his short stint with the Los Angeles Chargers as well as in his brief return to the Patriots.
Ahkello Witherspoon
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Witherspoon could be the best-case scenario of these options.
For one, the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder fits the mold of the long and rangy cornerback Canales and general manager Dan Morgan became accustomed to during their days in Seattle. He also has experience in a similar scheme, with Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero having served as a secondary coach and passing game coordinator for a year under Raheem Morris—Witherspoon’s coordinator from 2023.
The Broncos need to add a starting-caliber cornerback to pair with Pat Surtain in 2024.
The Denver Broncos have one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in Pat Surtain, but they need to find a quality CB2 to pair with him.
The Broncos initially planned to start Damarri Mathis across from Surtain in 2023, but he struggled and was benched. Denver replaced Mathis in the starting lineup with veteran Fabian Moreau, who is now set to become a free agent.
Either through free agency or the draft, the Broncos need to add a starting-caliber cornerback this offseason. So we’ve put together a quick list of 13 cornerbacks that Denver should consider during free agency next week.
All-Pro pass defensive tackle Justin Madubuike is the biggest concern this offseason after getting the franchise tag, but the Ravens must also navigate 26 looming free agents.
If you lose more unrestricted free agents than you sign, you are eligible for that many compensatory selections. What round they come is determined by how big their contract is.
DeCosta and other general managers can take advantage of the rule by signing players released before their contract expires. Those players don’t count toward the formula.
According to Over The Cap, plenty of players who can help the team and not detract from the formula will be available.
Here are 15 players Baltimore could sign that wouldn’t count against 2025 compensatory picks.
If you lose more unrestricted free agents than you sign, you are eligible for that many compensatory selections. What round they come is determined by how big their contract is.
Roseman and other general managers can take advantage of the rule by signing players released before their contract expires. Those players don’t count toward the formula.
According to Over The Cap, plenty of players who can help the team and not detract from the formula will be available.
Here are 15 players Philadelphia could sign that wouldn’t count against 2025 compensatory picks.
Here’s why the Patriots decided to move on from CB J.C. Jackson
Well, that didn’t last long.
Nearly six months after trading for J.C. Jackson, the New England Patriots are moving on from the former All-Pro cornerback. The team officially announced his release on Friday, which wasn’t really that big of a surprise.
Jackson’s on-field production was up and down in his return, and he reportedly missed the final four games of the season due to a personal matter. He was also sent home for the Patriots’ international game in Germany against the Indianapolis Colts, after missing curfew at the team hotel.
At the end of the day, the level of production didn’t match the contract. But even more importantly, the Patriots also saved a whopping $13.46 million by moving on from Jackson.
My new Patriots salary cap space number after the J.C. Jackson release is $100,333,802- a $13.46M increase. A prior tweet fat-fingered one too many threes.
— Patscap's Patriots Cap Space Number is 86,873,802 (@patscap) March 1, 2024
The Patriots already have a solid cornerback room with Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones and Jonathan Jones. Shaun Wade also stepped up as a contributor last season.
Alex Austin is another name to keep an eye on for a potential contract extension. He held his own in tough coverage matchups as a rookie last season, and he could provide quality depth on the roster.
It’s tough to see Jackson go because of the history he has in New England as a former Super Bowl champion. Many thought he was going to be one of the cornerstone players of the defense for years to come, until he cashed out in Los Angeles.
Jackson is clearly a talented player that will have other opportunities, but this was the right move for the Patriots to give themselves their best shot at rebuilding the roster successfully.
It’s a move that comes six months after the team traded a 2025 sixth-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Chargers to bring him back to New England.
The move is obviously a cost-cutting decision for the Patriots considering it frees up roughly $13.46 million in salary cap space, per Pats Cap. They already have Christian Gonzalez as their top cornerback, along with Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones.
There are also other younger and cheaper in-house options the team could pursue, like Alex Austin. In the end, the cost to keep Jackson simply wasn’t worth it with all of the other needs on the Patriots’ roster.
It’s a move that comes six months after the team traded a 2025 sixth-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Chargers to bring him back to New England.
The move is obviously a cost-cutting decision for the Patriots considering it frees up roughly $13.46 million in salary cap space, per Pats Cap. They already have Christian Gonzalez as their top cornerback, along with Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones.
There are also other younger and cheaper in-house options the team could pursue, like Alex Austin. In the end, the cost to keep Jackson simply wasn’t worth it with all of the other needs on the Patriots’ roster.
These 12 players could be playing football elsewhere in 2024
The last week of the regular season means some New England Patriots players could be in their final days with the team.
Many are pending free agents that aren’t likely to be brought back, while others could be let go for other reasons. The Patriots have players on both ends of the spectrum.
They won’t be able to re-sign everyone, even with the lucrative salary cap expectations for the team in 2024. There’s also the possibility of the team hiring a new regime altogether, if they ultimately make the decision to fire coach Bill Belichick.
Serious changes could be on the horizon for the Patriots, and here are 12 players that could be caught up in it at the end of the season:
Patriots CB J.C. Jackson could be done for the season.
The New England Patriots officially placed veteran cornerback J.C. Jackson on the reserve/non-football illness list on Tuesday, which likely brings an end to his season with the team.
Jackson didn’t play a single snap in the Patriots’ 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Instead, the team started rookie cornerback Alex Austin for the first time this season, when facing the defending Super Bowl champions.
Jackson is reportedly dealing with a personal matter. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, when speaking with Jackson’s agent, Neil Schwartz, the former All-Pro corner is going through mental health issues right now.
The #Patriots placed CB J.C. Jackson on the reserve/non-football illness list. This likely ends his season.
The primary focus right now is obviously Jackson’s health over football because some things are clearly bigger than the game being played on the field.
