4 bold Carolina Panthers predictions following the bye week
By Dean Jones
Donte Jackson will prove he’s a No. 1 cornerback
Another player who could be back after a prolonged period of rest is Donte Jackson. The cornerback has been dealing with a toe problem all season that has hampered his ability to prove his worth as the team’s No. 1 option and he has more riding on the remaining four games than most.
Jackson has all the physical attributes needed to make a real go of this opportunity. But it’s hard to gauge just what his long-term aspirations are given the way things have gone from an injury perspective this season.
Hopefully, the month away from the gridiron will have done him the world of good. So if he is at 100 percent then there is nothing to suggest he cannot make some serious strides from a production standpoint.
The former LSU standout has elite speed for a player at the position. However, this will only get Jackson – or any player for that matter – so far in the NFL.
Jackson has accumulated three interceptions, six passes defended, and 18 tackles from nine starts this season. His nine missed tackles represented 33.3 percent of his total contribution, which is a concern. The player is also giving up a career-high of 68.7 percent completion allowed on targets thrown his way, but how much of this can be attributed to his struggles with injury remains to be seen.