4 premier landing spots for Donte Jackson in 2022 free agency
By Dean Jones
Donte Jackson could join the Washington Commanders
Another team with close links to Donte Jackson is the Washington Commanders thanks to the presence of former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera at the helm. The respected figure was a huge fan of the player and selected him in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, so there’s a high chance of interest if the cornerback hits the free-agent market.
Jackson is emerging as a very productive cornerback and produced some fine performances during the 2021 season before it finished with a familiar tale on the injured/reserve list. However, this is unlikely to prevent the player from getting a lucrative contract in Carolina or elsewhere and this is something the Commanders might be able to provide with $30.35 million in cap space currently.
Nobody will know more about what Jackson brings to the table than Rivera, who couldn’t take Washington to the postseason for a second-straight year after the NFC East team failed to meet expectations.
Adding Jackson to a secondary that gave up 254.9 passing yards per game last season would be a tremendous help. This was ranked No. 29 across the league and unless they improve in what is a crucial statistical category, the same problems could emerge next time around.
If the Panthers decide to move on from Jackson, then it would be a big surprise if the Commanders didn’t make an early move to secure his services.