Should the Carolina Panthers take Donte Jackson out of the firing line?
By Dean Jones
Jackson’s production in 2020
It has been a promising and frustrating season for Donte Jackson in equal measure. It’s hard to gauge just what sort of difference he could make when firing on all cylinders and the Carolina Panthers have definitely missed this during their five-game losing run.
Jackson has looked efficient in coverage, for the most part. He has come up against some of the NFL’s best and held his own, but there are times when the player’s rash decision-making comes back to haunt him.
This has been prevalent throughout his time in the NFL. But, again, the risks Jackson has taken could be something to do with the injury preventing the league’s fastest cornerback from utilizing his outstanding athletic traits to full effect.
He has been on the field for just 54 percent of Carolina’s defensive snaps this season. This tells us all we need to know about just how much the injury is impacted Jackson’s level of production.
The player has still managed three interceptions, six passes defended, 18 combined tackles, 12 solo tackles, and is giving up a 68.7 percent reception success rate on balls thrown his way. Jackson has earned a 56.4 grade from Pro Football Focus – which is solid if not spectacular – and the jury is still out as to whether the Panthers can rely on him to be their top option on the outside moving forward.