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Henry McKenna
AFC East Reporter
The New England Patriots are trading for Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson, with coach Bill Belichick making a zero-risk acquisition at a desperate moment for the franchise.
The Patriots are 1-3 and they just took a drubbing at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, an early-season loss unlike what we’ve seen since New England had its “On to Cincinnati” game. But without Tom Brady, it’s hard to imagine the Patriots recovering like they did in 2015. In that loss to the Cowboys, the Patriots saw two of their best defensive players, edge Matthew Judon and cornerback Christian Gonzalez, suffer long-term injuries that will likely knock them out for the year.
That’s likely part of what brought this Jackson trade to fruition.
Gonzalez was the team’s bona fide CB1 and a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate, but with a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder, he is expected to miss the rest of the season. And without Judon, the Patriots cornerbacks will be more exposed than ever. Judon led the team in sacks for the past two years and served as the emotional leader on and off the field.
So, again, the addition of Jackson makes sense.
Now, you’re probably thinking that Jackson stinks. He has been a healthy scratch for a few games this season for L.A. He also dressed and played zero snaps. He has had a precipitous fall from grace since the 2022 offseason when he signed a five-year, $82.5-million contract. The 27-year-old had a rough 2022 season before tearing his ACL and has looked unimpressive in 2023. It’s a massive step down in performance when compared to his days in New England, where he was in consideration as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Hence, his massive contract.
But it’s not like the Patriots had to do much to get him. They swapped their sixth-round pick for a Chargers’ seventh. That’s pennies in draft capital. And then L.A. agreed to take on almost the entirety…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/j-c-jackson-was-zero-risk-trade-but-patriots-need-more-to-save-season
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Publish date : 2023-10-04 16:09:12
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