‘The Carolina Panthers are lucky to have these two in the backfield.
It is no secret that the Carolina Panthers defense left a lot to be desired last year. However, one of the positional areas of the defense that had really good stretches was the secondary. In particular rookie Donte Jackson and veteran James Bradberry were stabilizers for a defense that at times looked unsure of themselves over the course of the season.
Jackson had a tremendous beginning to his career with the Carolina Panthers. He started in all 16 games recording 74 tackles, nine pass deflections, a forced fumble, and four interceptions. Jackson even managed to record a sack. His four interceptions ranked seventh among all defensive players in the National Football League.
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Bradberry showed that he could still be a productive veteran. He started in all 16 games recording 70 tackles, a quarterback hit, and an interception which he returned for 29 yards. Perhaps his best trait was that he was a tremendous cover corner in 2018. He batted down 15 passes, the most passes he has defensed at any point in his career thusfar. His 15 passes defended put him fifth among all defenders in the National Football League.
Earlier this week, Pro football Focus released their rankings of the best cornerbacks in the NFC South in 2018. Pro football Focus used their overall defensive grade as their measurement.
Bradberry had a 66.4 rating while Jackson boasted a 65 rating. Let me just say that those two numbers certainly leave room for improvement. However, it is definitely encouraging to see them ranked so highly among the their position in the division. Yes, the cornerback position is not necessarily the deepest in the NFC South, but even still it is a good measuring stick to see where the Carolina Panthers defenders stack up among the rest of the division.
The secondary as it stands right now is still a work in progress. Bradberry and Jackson were two of the brighter spots of a unit that was still trying to find its identity throughout the course of the season. To their credit, the duo has never had a problem establishing their identities. Jackson is known as a boastful, excitable cornerback. Bradberry is known more as a quiet veteran leader.
There is no doubt that these two will be a part of the Carolina Panthers secondary for years to come. Both have proven that they are invaluable to the team. With so many question marks surrounding the defensive side of the football, it is great to have these two as players you can count on.