Vikings, Eyeing $82 Million All-Pro Defender, Fumble Potential Deal: Report
The newly installed Minnesota Vikings management has demonstrated its readiness to make midseason trades to increase their chances.
Although its season has gotten off to a slow start, Minnesota hasn’t given up and recently added offensive lineman Dalton Risner and running back Cam Akers.
J., an All-Pro cornerback for the Los Angeles Chargers, was a target for the Vikings as well because he could help with the defense.
C. Jackson.
If the Chargers had snatched J.
C. Jackson, there was going to be interest from the Vikings, according to Darren Wolfson’s report for KSTP on October 5.
He added that the Vikings were not interested in a trade because they would have to take on Jackson’s five-year, $82 point 50 million contract, which he signed last year.
But as information about the trade for Jackson by the New England Patriots has come to light, Minnesota lost out on what might have been a simple deal to make for the lockdown corner.
The Chargers were persuaded to trade Jackson for a late-round pick with just that.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots will trade Jackson and a seventh-round pick to Los Angeles in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick.
More significantly, the Chargers paid Jackson’s $7.77 million bonus to make the deal possible, leaving the Patriots with just a $1.55 million base salary to pay for the rest of the season, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
The final three years of Jackson’s contract are not guaranteed, so New England is free to modify the terms or let him go.
Jackson’s base salary could have easily been accepted by Minnesota, which currently has $9.52 million in cap space for this season.
Additionally, Jackson would have been a perfect outside corner for a struggling Vikings cornerback group.
He shared a Super Bowl championship with Brian Flores while playing for New England.
Jackson, a strong cornerback out of Maryland, was an undrafted amateur with only two years of collegiate experience.
Jackson’s development into one of the NFL’s top man-coverage cornerbacks began when the Patriots signed him during his rookie season.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF) analyst Anthony Treash, Jackson has improved his man coverage grade since 2018, making him the second-best outside corner in the league as of the 2022 offseason.
He has intercepted 19 passes in man coverage during that time, which is five more than the player in second place and twice as many as the player in third.
He is extremely difficult to throw at because of his mirror ability and poise at the catch point.
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Jackson was barely into his second season in Los Angeles when his skill set was deemed unsuitable for the zone-heavy coverage scheme employed by coach Brandon Staley.
Before suffering a knee injury that ended his season in 2022, he only played in five games. Jackson had a difficult time acclimating to the new system, allowing 19 receptions on 27 targets while in coverage for four touchdowns and a passer rating of 152 points.
His effectiveness as a shadow cover man who can match up against every team’s best pass catcher, however, is evident from his career 60.4 passer rating allowed.
Top corners Byron Murphy Jr. don’t provide that for the Vikings.
struggling along with rookie Mekhi Blackmon and Akayleb Evans.
This season, according to PFF, three cornerbacks have allowed a passer rating of more than 125 points when targeted.
Troubles with Vikings coverage so far.
The Vikings have primarily used Murphy and Evans on the outside while playing safety Josh Metellus at nickel cornerback through four weeks.
Murphy would prefer to be in the slot after spending more than 1,500 snaps inside during his time with the Arizona Cardinals.
Murphy, on the other hand, has been demoted to primarily an outside role as Blackmon has been introduced gradually into the defensive rotation.
The Vikings should keep giving the young corners opportunities because they are committed to developing Evans and Blackmon.
Murphy’s signing is in line with that strategy.
However, the Vikings could use some veteran assistance now that they have played four games.
