The New England Patriots have made a significant trade with the Los Angeles Chargers, acquiring cornerback J.C. Jackson, according to sources. The Patriots will send a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Chargers in exchange for Jackson and a 2025 seventh-round pick. To facilitate the trade, both teams are adjusting Jackson’s salary for the 2023 season. The Patriots will cover approximately $1.5 million, while the Chargers will cover the rest in the form of a signing bonus.
The trade comes at a crucial time for the Patriots, as promising rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez recently suffered a shoulder injury and is out indefinitely. Gonzalez, the team’s first-round pick this year, tore his labrum during New England’s 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
Jackson, who spent four seasons with the Patriots before signing a lucrative deal with the Chargers last offseason, struggled to replicate his success in New England. In his final year with the Patriots, Jackson was named an All-Pro and ranked second in the NFL with eight interceptions. However, his time with the Chargers was marred by legal issues, injuries, and underwhelming performances.
Last season, Jackson allowed a career-worst 149.3 passer rating when targeted before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 7. This season, he has improved slightly, allowing a passer rating of 72.0 when targeted. Nevertheless, it is still the second worst of his career. In his final season with the Patriots, he allowed an impressive 46.8 passer rating.
Signs of trouble between Jackson and the Chargers emerged when he was a healthy scratch for the first time since his rookie season in their Week 3 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Despite facing one of the league’s top receivers in Justin Jefferson, Jackson was left inactive. In the aftermath of the game, Jackson expressed confusion about the decision and revealed that he was not fully healthy.
In the Chargers’ subsequent game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Jackson was active but did not play a single snap. He watched from the sideline for the second consecutive week, this time in uniform. The Chargers managed to secure their second win without him.
During his two seasons with the Chargers, Jackson played in only seven games and recorded just one interception. In contrast, he had an impressive 25 interceptions in his first four NFL seasons with the Patriots.
The return to New England is met with excitement from Jackson’s former teammates. Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “He had great years when he was here. I’m excited to see him back in a Patriot uniform. When he does get back in the building, it will be exciting.”
Fans will have an opportunity to witness Jackson face his former team when the Patriots play the Chargers on December 3. But before that, the Patriots are set to face the New Orleans Saints this Sunday.
In conclusion, the New England Patriots have made a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers to acquire cornerback J.C. Jackson. The Patriots will send a draft pick to the Chargers in exchange for Jackson and another draft pick. This trade comes at a crucial time for the Patriots, as they recently lost promising rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez to a shoulder injury. Jackson’s time with the Chargers was marked by legal issues, injuries, and disappointing performances. However, his return to the Patriots is met with excitement from his former teammates. Fans can look forward to seeing Jackson face his old team when the Patriots play the Chargers later in the season.