The Chargers are not messing around this offseason. Last week they acquired Khalil Mack in a trade with the Chicago Bears — thus giving them arguably the league’s top pass rush duo — and today they agreed to terms with the top free agent cornerback on the market.
J.C. Jackson, who has had 22 interceptions over the past three seasons in New England, is now a member of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jackson comes to the Chargers on a monster 5-year, $82.5 million deal according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
This deal is worth $16.5 million per season, which is actually pretty affordable. It lands him just outside the top five cornerbacks in the league in terms of per year money. The top being Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey ($20 million per) with whom he will now share a stadium.
Unlike many free agent deals each offseason, Jackson earned the right to be the highest paid corner. He did so by putting up the most interceptions in the NFL over the past three seasons.
It was reported that the Raiders were negotiating with Jackson as well, but the Chargers won his services in the end.
The first sign that the Chargers had lured in Jackson was when he and safety Derwin James both tweeted double eyeballs on social media within seconds of each other.
👀👀
— Derwin James Jr (@DerwinJames) March 14, 2022
And now this from J.C. Jackson’s IG pic.twitter.com/FdQC4Y7DUS
— Gilbert Manzano (@GManzano24) March 14, 2022
James and Jackson will make for a potent pair in the back end of the Chargers defense, while Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack will be working to make their lives easier.
The AFC West is a fun place, ain’t it?
