Now that the Kansas City Chiefs have decided to trade cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, they could be in the market for a more affordable veteran replacement.
Yes, the KC secondary is loaded with young talent — including Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson, Nazeeh Johnson, Nic Jones, Ekow Boye-Doe, Bryan Cook, Chamarri Conner and Trey Dean competing at cornerback and safety among others. Having said that, there’s a clear lack of a veteran presence at CB, so it’s possible general manager Brett Veach and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo might bring in some experience on a one-year deal to help remedy that.
A-to-Z Sports Kansas City reporter Charles Goldman suggested former Tennessee Titans and New York Giants defensive back Adoree’ Jackson, who has shown a similar versatility to his game as Sneed over the past several years.
“Jackson is still just 28 years old and has started in 36 games over the past three seasons with the Giants, recording two interceptions and 23 passes defended in that span,” Goldman outlined.
Continuing: “This move would be as much about special teams as it would be about defense as Jackson is a dynamic return specialist. He hasn’t done it much in recent seasons, but that’d surely be part of his role in Kansas City.”
How Much Might Adoree’ Jackson Cost Chiefs in Free Agency?
Jackson’s last contract in 2021 was a big one worth $39 million ($13 million per year) according to Over the Cap. Rest assured; he wouldn’t cost the same amount after an up-and-down stretch in New York.
The going rate for vet cornerbacks with starting potential has been anywhere from $4 million to $8 million per year in 2024. Pro Football Focus also projected that Jackson would sign a one year, $6 million deal with $4.75 million guaranteed ahead of free agency.
Expect the long-time NFL starter and former first-round talent to end up somewhere in that range — which is well below the price tag that Sneed was looking for in an extension.
Adoree’ Jackson Signing Would Provide Chiefs With 85-Game Starter, Positional Versatility & Veteran Leadership
Jackson has started 85 NFL outings since 2017 with eight of those coming in the playoffs. He was also voted a defensive captain by his Giants peers in 2023.
So, needless to say, a Jackson signing would provide Spagnuolo with experience and leadership. We also mentioned versatility earlier, and that’s another factor in this free agent fit.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson has been utilized in five different defensive positional alignments throughout the course of his career.
PFF has credited Jackson with 4,059 snaps at traditional cornerback since entering the league, with 480 snaps in the slot, 255 lined up in the “box,” 61 starting down on the defensive line and 12 as the free safety.
This is reminiscent of Sneed before he transitioned into the role of “shadow corner.” A Swiss Army Knife of sorts in the secondary.
Jackson’s coming off one of the worst campaigns of his career, statistically speaking. Per PFF, he allowed a 65.9% reception rate in 2023 and an NFL passer rating of 98.3 (four penalties, 753 yards and two touchdowns allowed).
Most of those coverage metrics were either the second worst of his NFL tenure, or dead last.
Jackson’s missed tackle rate also ballooned up to 15.7% (and a career-worst 11 missed tackles total) last year. It was a bad season, no doubt about it, but there are two things to keep in mind when determining if Jackson is worth pursuing.
One, ex-Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale often left his cornerbacks on an island in a blitz-heavy system. And two, Jackson could profile as a bounce back candidate and bargain addition on a “prove-it” contract.
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Chiefs Pegged as Free Agent Fit for Former $39 Million CB