New England Patriots cornerback JC Jackson is one of the best players set to hit the open market at the start of the new league year. A former undrafted free agent, the Maryland product has turned into one of the best defensive backs in the league with a proven nose for the football. Jackson is going to receive a massive payday, but should the Patriots be the ones handing out the check?
Why the Patriots Should Extend JC Jackson
Cornerback is perhaps the most important position in New England’s scheme. The Patriots run man coverage at one of the highest rates in the league, and they need players like Jackson in order for the defense to work. Jackson always excelled in man coverage ever since coming into the league, and 2021 proved just how valuable he can be as a true top cornerback.
During Jackson’s first three years in the league, he had the benefit of lining up opposite Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore was the best cornerback in the league at the time, so Jackson never had to face an opponent’s best receiver on an island.
That changed in 2021, as the Patriots traded Gilmore and made Jackson their de-facto top cornerback. The former undrafted free agent proved he was up to the challenge, finishing the season as PFF’s CB7 while recording eight interceptions and a league-leading 23 passes broken up.
#Patriots CB JC Jackson with his eighth interception on the season and his 25th in four seasons.
Jackson is set to be a free agent. pic.twitter.com/spC9ZWkJnC
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) January 2, 2022
Historically speaking, New England’s defenses are always at their best when they have a lockdown cornerback on the outside. Ty Law, Asante Samuel, Aqib Talib, Darelle Revis, Gilmore, and even Malcolm Butler (a second-team All-Pro in 2016) have all held this role at some point, and Jackson seems like a natural heir to the throne.
Making the Money Work
Of course, the Patriots cannot afford to simply pay every good player set to hit the market. According to Miguel Benzan (@PatsCap), New England currently has just $4.89 million in available spending money. By comparison, Jalen Ramsey became the highest-paid cornerback in the league when he signed a five-year, $100 million contract back in September of 2020.
Chances are, Jackson will sign a similar deal in the coming months. The salary cap is back to normal and several teams would be more than willing to make Jackson one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the league. While the Patriots wouldn’t be able to offer that type of money right now, they do have the resources to create that cap space.
https://twitter.com/patscap/status/1489563778593263622?s=20&t=s9CnnzMbgdkH3B4nW9AFfw
Benzan is the expert in all things salary cap, and he points out that the Patriots have quite a few ways to create cap space without cutting anybody. All of the players mentioned above had solid seasons in 2021, and the team would be better by keeping each guy in town for a little while longer.
Additionally, New England could structure Jackson’s contract such that he doesn’t have a big cap hit in 2021. When Ramsey signed his extension, he only carried a $6.2 million cap hit in 2020 and a $9.7 million cap hit in 2021. The Patriots could do something similar so that they could afford to pay Jackson and make other moves to improve the team throughout the offseason.
The Patriots broke the bank in 2020, handing out a record amount of guaranteed money in an effort to improve the team overnight. While a good portion of those signings paid off, it would be very surprising to find out that Belichick didn’t account for Jackson as he was going wild in free agency. Put simply, if money is an issue, then it would be highly irresponsible to sign Jonnu Smith to a four-year, $50 million contract if it means letting your promising young cornerback walk away one year later.
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