The Panthers are keeping the best of what’s left from 2024
Mike Jackson is returning to the Carolina Panthers on a two-year, $14.5M deal. He started seventeen games at corner for the Panthers last season after the departure of Donte Jackson, now with the Los Angeles Chargers, left a void in the Panthers secondary opposite Jaycee Horn.
Jackson was a veteran acquired last offseason in exchange for a rookie seventh round pick. Basically, he wasn’t a part of the team’s plans until he made himself a part of them. The team let him test the waters in free agency, but ultimately both sides agreed that the Carolinas were the best fit for him.
Playing opposite a corner the quality of Horn makes you the favorite target of opposing passers. Jackson rated as the 64th best out of 223 qualifying cornerbacks last season and the 60th best at coverage, specifically, per Pro Football Focus. That’s impressive work given the volume of passes he saw on one of the worst defenses in football last year.
The Panthers are clearly focused on remaking their defense today. It’s good to see that they are not throwing out the few stellar babies they had with last season’s sordid bathwater.