The New England Patriots have reportedly acquired cornerback Michael Jackson from the Detroit Lions. In exchange for his services, the Patriots parted ways with an undisclosed 2022 NFL Draft pick. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first broke the news.
Lions traded CB Michael Jackson to the New England Patriots in exchange for an undisclosed 2022 draft selection.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 9, 2020
Detroit Lions Trade Michael Jackson to New England Patriots
Michael Jackson first started his career with the Dallas Cowboys. Selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Miami product entered the offseason battling for a role on special teams while providing some depth in the secondary. He ultimately didn’t make the cut, and started the year on the practice squad. However, in late October, the Detroit Lions poached Jackson from the Cowboys practice squad and signed him to the active roster. Jackson only played in one game with the Lions, but remained with the organization throughout the remainder of the 2019 season.
Jackson joins a crowded depth chart that already is arguably the best in the league. Stephon Gilmore is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, while Jason McCourty is one of the better CB2’s in the league. Jonathan Jones has developed from undrafted free agent into one of the best slot cornerbacks in the league, while J.C. Jackson is a borderline-elite downfield cornerback. Even 2019 second-round pick Joejuan Williams looked good when he made his way on the field.
The Patriots could be making this move to shore up their special teams depth. The team lost longtime stalwart Nate Ebner in free agency, and nobody values special teams more than Bill Belichick. Another possibility is that the Patriots will use him more as a safety than a cornerback. At 6′-1″ and 210 pounds, Jackson is slightly larger than your average NFL cornerback. After the Patriots lost Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon, the team might feel they need more bodies to shore up the secondary position.
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