Getty Josh Jackson #37 of the Green Bay Packers breaks up the pass to Alex Erickson #14 of the Houston Texans in the first half of a preseason game at Lambeau Field on August 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Kabion Ento delivered a standout performance for the Green Bay Packers in their preseason opener on Saturday night, and that’s good news for the third-year cornerback as he looks to convincingly earn a place on their 53-man roster.
It also could be bad news for 2018 second-round pick Josh Jackson.
Ento and Jackson, who are each competing for a depth spot in the team’s cornerback rotation for 2021, essentially had opposite nights for the Packers in their 26-7 preseason loss to the Texans. While Ento looked poised and capable against Houston’s second- and third-string players, Jackson struggled to hold up as the Texans consistently tested him — and usually won — in the passing game.
Josh Jackson might be playing his way out of a roster spot tonight.
In coverage, Jackson surrendered seven receptions for 91 yards on 10 targets, including three in the Texans’ first series that all landed in the hands of Chris Conley. He did record a nice pass breakup near the end zone that forced the Texans to settle for a field goal just before halftime, but it felt like a moot point given how he spent his other 27 pass-coverage snaps.
Ento, however, was only targetted twice on the night and made Texans rookie quarterback Davis Mills regret trying to get one past him at the end of the second quarter when he tallied the Packers’ only interception of the game at the goal line. While he was flagged for a questionable pass interference call in the second half — and then spent some time in the team’s medical tent — Pro Football Focus graded him as the best defensive player for the Packers against the Texans.
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Packers Remain High on Ento
Packers fans who don’t spend much time invested in the preseason might not know a whole lot about Ento, but the 25-year-old cornerback could change that in 2021.
About 27 months ago, Ento was an undrafted free agent who was coming off a quiet three-season career at Colorado as a wide receiver, catching a total of 20 passes for 335 yards and two touchdowns. The Packers, however, were intrigued when he switched to cornerback and added him to their UDFA class shortly after the draft, retaining him for their practice squad during the 2019 season and letting him develop at the position.
Year 2 was a different story for Ento. He made waves early and often in 2020 training camp and looked more than capable of pushing someone out of their roster spot until he broke a bone in his foot toward the end of the summer. While disappointed, the Packers waited until after final roster cuts to place him on injured reserve and carried him as one of the initial 53 players on their 2020 active roster, giving him the chance to potentially return from IR before the end of the season.
The Packers did end up designating Ento for return several days before their NFC Championship Game matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he was not declared active for the game.
Seven months later, though, Ento seems hellbent on sticking around.
“He’s done a really nice job,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said after the team’s Family Night practice at Lambeau Field. “I think this is probably the healthiest he’s been since he’s been here. And so just to get an opportunity to go watch him in some preseason games now is what we’re really excited about.”
Jackson’s Troubles Persist From 2020
Jackson looked to be heading into a critical third season for the Packers last year. While his first two years were a mixed bag, there was an opportunity before him in 2020 to deliver on his potential as a second-rounder and to show the Packers he was capable of taking the next step as they considered the free-agent futures of Kevin King and Chandon Sullivan.
At some points, he seized the moment — like when he filled in for King for five starts and (mostly) played well. It was difficult to take away much optimism, though, when he was declared inactive for six of the final eight games, failing to stand out as either a defender or special teams contributor at a time when the team needed both. The Packers also re-upped on both King and Sullivan in addition to drafting first-rounder Eric Stokes and fifth-rounder Shemar Jean-Charles.
Now, Jackson appears to be on his last legs. The room is crowded, the competition is beating him out and the tape is … well, underwhelming to put it mildly. It would be senseless to overreact to one preseason game, but history is starting to speak for itself on Jackson. If he wants to have a shot at earning it in a contract year, he is going to need much better performances in the Packers’ final two preseason games.