Donte Jackson was not able to hoodwink his way into the final year of his second contract with the Carolina Panthers. The cornerback always flashed promise but failed to find the consistency needed when it mattered. When general manager Dan Morgan took charge, he didn't last long.
Morgan had seen enough from Jackson to know that he wasn't up to the required standard, trading him to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for Pro Bowl wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Although that move didn't exactly pan out, both veterans are no longer Carolina's problem these days.
Jackson wasn't much better in Pittsburgh and didn't get another deal. The Los Angeles Chargers thought he had something left to give, penning him to a two-year agreement this offseason.
Donte Jackson entering last chance saloon one year after Carolina Panthers' exit
This is the last chance saloon for Jackson, and NFL analysts are starting to catch on to what Panthers' fans have known for some time.
Kristopher Knox from The Bleacher Report named Jackson as the Chargers' biggest potential bust entering the new campaign. The analyst thought they could regret the choice to bring him on board, especially given the regression displayed by the former second-round pick out of LSU last season.
"To help reload the cornerback room, L.A. signed 29-year-old corner Donte Jackson to a two-year, $13 million contract. That's a fairly reasonable price point for a starting corner, but the Chargers may still come to regret it. While Jackson was mostly dependable during his time with the Carolina Panthers and played well for the Steelers early last season, he showed significant regression late in 2024. For the season, Pro Football Focus graded Jackson just 187th overall and 195th in coverage."Kristopher Knox
The Chargers opted not to bring back Asante Samuel Sr. in favor of signing Jackson. Their cornerback unit needed something different. Those in power are convinced that the defensive back has the dynamism and experience to be useful. But any Panthers fan will tell you this notion is probably fool's gold.
Jackson won't get many more chances to prolong his career. But after flattering to deceive more often than not, it'll take a monumental effort to turn things around.
It'll be interesting to watch Jackson's progress from afar. But the Panthers now have Jaycee Horn leading the cornerback charge — one of the league's premier shutdown presences with the NFL world at his feet.
That's an upgrade whichever way one looks at it.