When the then-Washington Football Team signed former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback William Jackson III to a three-year, $42 million deal with $26 million guaranteed, I gave the deal an A+ grade, opined that Jackson was one of the best press cornerbacks in the NFL, and also opined that this might mean that Washington might be playing more press coverage from then on.
For multiple reasons, Jackson’s tenure in the nation’s capital has been an unmitigated disaster. Let’s check off the fact that Jack Del Rio is the Commanders’ defensive coordinator, because we’ve already gone over all the coverage busts seemingly inherent in the defense Del Rio is running.
Answer: No. The Commanders currently rank 29th in pass defense DVOA, and they’ve been terrible against the pass at all levels. And Jackson, who used to be a dead-red lockdown cornerback, has suffered along with the rest. This season, per Pro Football Focus, he’s allowed 16 catches on 19 targets for 219 yards, 60 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 149.8.
Now, with head coach Ron Rivera pulling Jackson against the Titans in Week 4, and Jackson not even making the trip to Chicago to face the Bears on Thursday night, Jackson wants out.
Per Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Jackson now wants a new home. From the report:
Once a key cog in the Commanders’ secondary, Jackson is not frustrated specifically with the team.
Rather, he considers himself more of a man-to-man cornerback and Washington has run a lot of zone thus far. When Jackson signed, he envisioned himself as a true lockdown corner, covering a team’s top receiver.
It hasn’t worked out that way.
Now, Jackson could find himself with a new home.
What may complicate the picture is Jackson’s contract. He has two years left on the deal, and his 2023 cap hit is $15.75 million, which means that another team could likely have Jackson for very little draft capital if there’s willingness to take on that fiscal responsibility.
We know that the Commanders’ defense is all kinds of bad, but which teams would present the best homes for Jackson as he looks to rejuvenate his career in a more hospitable environment?