Part of the Arizona Cardinals’ late-season collapse in the 2021 season came due to injuries in the defensive backfield. Cornerbacks Robert Alford and Marco Wilson missed significant time down the stretch, which tested an already thin room.
Cornerback was arguably the biggest concern for the team entering 2021, given the uncertainty in starting Wilson in his rookie year and the reliance on Byron Murphy to fill the No. 1 role.
Murphy had an up-and-down season as the team’s heir to Patrick Peterson. He allowed 731 yards receiving and five touchdowns, but did manage to snag four interceptions. Overall, it was a solid season given it was his first year moving to outside cornerback full time.
The Cardinals are almost certainly going to look to add a piece to the cornerback room in two weeks time. They should look no further than New England’s J.C. Jackson.
The Patriots’ hesitancy to pay Jackson two weeks out from him becoming an unrestricted free agent is baffling. A few months prior, they traded their perennial Pro-Bowler in Stephon Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers. Gilmore and the Patriots were having contract disputes, and it was assumed the move was made with sights set on an impending lucrative deal for their younger star corner in Jackson.
Jackson appeared on NBC Sports Boston and expressed his frustrations with the team’s lack of communication on his short and long term future. The Patriots have apparently not reached out regarding a contract extension. It also appears, at this time, he will not be receiving the franchise tag after playing last season on a second-round tender.
“I guess they feel like they don’t need me,” he told Phil Berry. “I guess I can’t be that important to them. I know I am, but they’re not showing me.”
Jackson has emerged as one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL. He was selected to both the Pro-Bowl and AP second-team All-Pro in 2021. With eight interceptions last season and 25 in his career (only four seasons!), Jackson will rightfully be paid handsomely by someone, if not the Patriots.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson graded as the seventh-ranked cornerback among 116 qualified grades. He posted a 78.9 rating, a career-high.
The Patriots have historically been very cautious in giving out lucrative multi-year contracts, so it is certainly possible Jackson at least tests the open market. Is this something the Cardinals should consider, given the hefty price tag?
Steve Keim and the Cardinals executives must now navigate free agency with the inevitable extension for Kyler Murray. Handing out long-term deals to free agents is only going to get more difficult. Jackson, however, is an exception.
Free agency has been labeled fools gold by Keim in the past. This is certainly true in some cases, however there is very rarely a player of Jackson’s caliber that reaches the open market, particularly at his age.
This would get tricky, but it could be done. Spotrac has his market value at nearly $21 million per year, which would eclipse Jalen Ramsey as the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback. That wouldn’t be shocking, given the high-bidding nature of the free agency. At the very least, the Cardinals should anticipate having to pay at least $17 million per year, similar to the contracts of Marshon Lattimore (19.5) and Tre’Davious White (17.2).
On top of the Murray extension, the Cardinals have a very long list of free agents to tend to. Paying Jackson his market salary would likely spell the end for the majority of the Cardinals’ free agents time with the team. With the impending loss of Chandler Jones, however, the Cardinals may find themselves able to pay another star defender $20 million per year, as they did with their franchise all-time sack leader for a time.
Adding a 26-year-old cornerback in his prime gives the Cardinals a young, elite secondary for the next few seasons. Pairing Jackson with Budda Baker, Byron Murphy and Jalen Thompson would be extraordinary.
The Super Bowl champions and NFC runner-ups are both in your division, each with elite wide receivers. Pay J.C. Jackson.
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