J.C. Jackson returns to the Patriots after Christian Gonzalez’s injury through a trade with the Chargers:
Jackson will return to New England with a seventh-round selection from Los Angeles in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2025.
A potential rookie cornerback for the Patriots, Christian Gonzalez, was injured in Sunday’s defeat to the Dallas Cowboys, which led to the trade.
An insider with the Patriots said that tests on Gonzalez verified their greatest worries about the extent of the injury to his shoulder.
Jackson has been held out of both of the Chargers’ most recent games. He said, “I’m not 100 percent” when questioned about his condition before Week 4’s game. I’m trying my best.
Bringing back the former Pro Bowl cornerback less than two years after he departed in free agency, the New England Patriots have acquired J.C. Jackson from the Los Angeles Chargers, per a club source. What you need to know is as follows:
The Logic Behind the Swap
Four of the Patriots’ starting corners were hurt before they left Dallas last Sunday. The Athletic has revealed that one month into the season, their standout rookie, González, sustained a major shoulder injury. Jack Jones and Marcus Jones are both on injured reserve, while Jonathan Jones has missed the previous three games with an ankle injury. The Patriots needed assistance immediately in order to recover from their recent humiliating loss to the Cowboys. Belichick is more likely to bring in guys in the middle of the season if they are ones he is familiar with and has worked with before.
Despite the injuries, this is still a risky move on the Patriots’ part. Jackson was a high-profile free agency acquisition for the Chargers, but after a dismal 2022 season and an even worse start to this year, he has been a healthy scratch. Belichick is certain, however, that the Patriots can turn Jackson back into the superstar he was while playing for New England.
Jackson’s contract has no guaranteed money until 2023, so the Patriots may simply renegotiate his agreement once this season’s high salaries are paid. The Patriots have signed a cornerback who was a star for them only two years ago, just when the club needed him the most. Author and New England Patriots beat reporter Chad Graff
Trade’s Monetary Implications
According to Sports Illustrated, the Chargers will convert most of Jackson’s remaining basic salary into a signing bonus, saving the team around $7.4 million on their 2023 cap sheet. With Mike Williams out for the season with an ACL tear, they might utilize this in the coming days and weeks to improve other parts of the squad, possibly at receiver. Due to Jackson’s prorated signing bonus, the Chargers will still be on the hook for a hefty dead money penalty of about $21 million in 2024.
One of the worst deals Tom Telesco made in his 11 years as general manager was this one. Staley should take part in the responsibility since he was an enthusiastic supporter of Jackson’s signing. However, the organization deserves credit for ending its relationship with Jackson after realizing it could not be fixed. Insights from Popper
Why did Jackson’s time with the Chargers end in failure?
The Chargers have promptly and decisively severed connections with Jackson, the crown jewel of their 2022 free agency class, less than two years after making that decision. A chain of events beginning at the end of August last year led to this abrupt ending. Jackson’s first training camp with the Chargers was a success. There was a lot of enthusiasm regarding the cornerback’s integration into Brandon Staley’s defense. In addition, the two combined workouts with the Cowboys were Jackson’s finest of the summer.
Jackson had surgery to remove a bone spur from his ankle on August 23 in New York City. He didn’t play in the team’s season-opening victory against the Raiders but returned the following week to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night. After having ankle surgery, everything went south. Jackson was out during the third-week defeat against the Jaguars. The following three games after his Week 4 comeback were not much better. In the second half of the game, a victory against the Denver Broncos, he was taken off the field. He tore the patellar tendon in his right knee in Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Public and private testimonies alike agree that Jackson has done a fantastic job with his rehabilitation. On the first day of training camp, he returned to the field ahead of time. Jackson was making steady progress toward a return to play prior to a little setback during the second week of camp. In Week 1, he began for the team and struggled against Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins. He played well in his Week 2 start against the Tennessee Titans.
However, a rift between him and the coaches was brewing behind the scenes within the facility. As a result, Jackson was not on the active roster when the team faced Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. The coaching staff was trying to get Jackson to regain his concentration by sending him a message. Obviously, it had the opposite effect. Jackson was there on Sunday but did not contribute to the victory against the Raiders of Las Vegas. After earning almost $45 million from the Chargers for only seven starts, he is reportedly on his way to New England. — Daniel Popper, a beat reporter for the Los Angeles Chargers
Backstory
Before the 2022 season, the Chargers gave Jackson a five-year, $82.5 million deal. In Week 7 of the previous season, he injured his patellar tendon.
Jackson spent the summer at the team facilities rehabilitating the injury, which placed him ahead of schedule since he was able to take part in the Chargers’ first training camp session.
The Patriots have acquired a guy who had a productive four years in Foxboro. Jackson joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent that year (2018) and has since recorded 25 interceptions for New England.
