The Los Angeles Chargers made major changes to their secondary this offseason, and one of their recent acquisitions is already making things difficult for opposing teams.
With Asante Samuel Jr., Eli Apple, and Kristian Fulton departing in free agency, the Chargers are counting on young corners Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart to rise to the occasion.
To bolster the group, Los Angeles also brought in veteran free agents Donte Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste, both aiming to bring experience and stability to the unit.
One of these additions has a track record of locking down receivers and consistently preventing big plays.
How Jackson has shut down one team so well over the past five years
PFF writer Dalton Wasserman identified the biggest weakness for each team over the past five years. For the Chicago Bears, that troublemaker was Jackson during his time with the Carolina Panthers.
“Jackson might be the most surprising inclusion on this list, but he delivered standout performances in two recent games against Chicago. In those 2020 and 2023 matchups, he held Bears receivers to only three catches on eight targets, allowing just 12 yards total. He also notched three pass breakups. His 93.1 PFF coverage grade from the 2023 game marks a career-best.”
Over the course of his seven-year NFL career, Jackson has totaled 341 tackles, 54 passes defended, 19 interceptions, 17 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles across 95 games. He played six of those seasons with the Panthers before joining the Steelers last year.
This offseason, the Chargers signed him to a two-year, $13 million contract that runs through the 2026 season. He’ll be competing for a starting outside cornerback role, with Hart expected to be his primary competition once healthy.
Jackson has been a consistent presence in the league, starting 91 of his 95 career games. At 29 years old, he’s aiming to reclaim a starting role while also providing leadership and guidance to the Chargers’ young secondary.
How much playing time he’ll earn remains a key storyline heading into training camp, but he’s poised to take on a veteran leadership role within the unit.
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