3 Worst Patriots Contracts to Overcome This Offseason

2. J.C. Jackson, CB

It's been a rollercoaster ride for cornerback J.C. Jackson and New England. Jackson was with the Patriots from 2018-2021, where he developed into a great player under Bill Belichick. In those four seasons, he recorded 158 total tackles and snagged 25 interceptions.

He left town in the spring of 2022 to join the Los Angeles Chargers, inking a five-year, $82.5 million deal. Things never got off the ground for Jackson and the Bolts. He struggled immensely in coverage and didn't look like the same player that he was in New England.

Jackson ended up rejoining the Patriots after he was traded away by the Chargers. It was a low-risk move because none of the salary left on his deal is guaranteed.

The Maryland product suited up in eight games for New England but ended the year on the Non-Football Injury List, missing the final four games.

It looks like a pretty easy decision for New England to part ways with Jackson in the offseason. They would create $14.4 million in cap space and wouldn't get hit with any type of dead money.

Again, the Patriots have so many holes on the team so getting more cap space allows them to be extremely active on the free-agent market.

They already have a young stud cornerback on the roster with Christian Gonzalez. His season was cut short in 2023 due to a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum but he flashed his tremendous athleticism and coverage skills. They could use some of the money created by releasing Jackson to get another running mate for Gonzalez.