Report: Chargers trade J.C. Jackson to Patriots with Gonzalez likely out for season
J.C. Jackson is returning to the New England Patriots.
The Los Angeles Chargers are sending the cornerback to the Patriots in exchange for a swap of late-round picks, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The 27-year-old provides reinforcements at an opportune time. First-round pick Christian Gonzalez will likely miss the remainder of the 2023 season after suffering a torn labrum in the club's 38-3 loss on Sunday, sources told Rapoport.
The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Jackson began his career with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent. He quickly became a ball-hawking playmaker, hauling in 25 interceptions from 2018-21, including nine in 2020 and eight in 2021.
Jackson struggled to replicate the impact he made in New England with the Bolts. He only played in five games last season because of a serious knee injury, was a healthy scratch in Week 3 of this year, and did not play in Week 4 despite being active.
Jackson had one interception in seven games with L.A. and has a 48.7 overall grade from PFF for the current campaign.
As part of the trade, the teams are reworking the 2023 portion of the five-year, $82-million deal that Jackson signed with the Chargers ahead of the 2021 season. The Patriots will cover approximately $1.5 million of Jackson's remaining $9.33 million salary for this year, with L.A. paying the remainder as a signing bonus, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
On top of his interceptions, Jackson has accumulated 176 total tackles and 58 pass deflections in 69 career games.
The Chargers claimed former Denver Broncos cornerback Essang Bassey off waivers following the trade, a source told Rapoport.