The LA Chargers missed out on acquiring Davante Adams and DK Metcalf over the weekend and remained inactive on Monday while several other notable players were signed. Although they re-signed Khalil Mack, they also lost Poona Ford and Joshua Palmer.
As other teams made significant moves, the Chargers waited to make their first external signing of free agency. That moment finally came four-and-a-half hours after the legal tampering window opened, but it wasn’t the high-profile move fans had hoped for.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chargers have agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson. He joins a cornerback group led by second-year players Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart.
Chargers sign Donte Jackson, who struggled mightily last season
Jackson’s surface-level stats don’t inspire much confidence. He recorded a 45.1 coverage grade on Pro Football Focus last season, ranking 196th out of 223 NFL cornerbacks. Additionally, he lacks positional versatility, as he strictly plays outside corner.
Despite his struggles last season, the Chargers clearly see potential in Jackson. His NFL career has been inconsistent, but he has had productive seasons in the past.
A similar situation occurred last offseason when the team signed Kristian Fulton, who was coming off a down year with the Titans. While Fulton eventually declined as the season progressed, he was initially a valuable addition to the secondary.
However, the circumstances surrounding this signing make it more frustrating. Last offseason, the Chargers were tight on cap space and had to be extremely cautious with spending. This year, they have one of the league’s highest cap spaces, yet their first external signing is a cornerback who struggled in 2023.
If Jackson is just one piece of a larger offseason plan, the move may make more sense. But if he is the only cornerback addition, fans are unlikely to be satisfied.
What makes this move even more frustrating is seeing the Chargers let Poona Ford walk for $10 million per year while paying $6.5 million for a struggling corner. To many fans, this feels like a misalignment of priorities.
That said, the Chargers’ offseason is far from over. For now, fans will have to practice patience as the front office shapes the roster.
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