Panthers defense: 4 players under pressure to perform in 2020
By Dean Jones
Donte Jackson
The Carolina Panthers defense lost their No. 1 cornerback James Bradberry in free agency when he penned a big-money deal with the New York Giants. The franchise will be looking to Donte Jackson to fill this hole and step up with more responsibility on his shoulders.
There is plenty to like about the way Jackson approaches his work. He is a gifted athlete who allowed 38 receptions from 68 targets in 2019. He also managed to secure 32 solo tackles, three interceptions, and eight pass deflections after seeing the field for 66 percent of the Panthers’ defensive snaps.
Jackson is now expected to take another leap forward as the team’s primary cornerback option. Fourth-round pick Troy Pride Jr. is expected to slot in at the other side which would leave the former LSU standout guarding the opposition’s best receiving threat on a consistent basis.
This is a massive task given the strength of passing teams on the Panthers schedule in 2020. Jackson is also going to see a lot of exceptionally gifted receivers in divisional games such as Julio Jones, Michael Thomas and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ duo Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Jackson is heading into the penultimate year of his rookie deal and will make $917,502 base salary in 2020. If he makes significant strides on the Panthers defense next time around then the player could be in line for a substantial pay rise in 2021.