The Los Angeles Chargers made a notable move on Sunday morning that subtly confirmed one of the team’s top free-agent signings last year is officially a bust.
The 2023 NFL regular season for the Los Angeles Chargers has gotten off to a frustrating start. Despite posting 27 and 34 points against the Dolphins and Titans, the team enters Week 3 against the Vikings with a 0-2 record because their defense has been terrible to start the season.
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The group that is ranked 22nd in our latest NFL defense rankings is the worst in the league in passing yards and total yards against and is third worst in points given up per game. There is no doubt their secondary has struggled in a major way and part of that is the disappointing play this season of expensive cornerback JC Jackson.
Jackson is returning after rupturing his patellar tendon last year and playing in just five games in his debut season with the franchise. And it seems that he is having trouble regaining the form that he had with the New England Patriots in 2021 when he earned Pro Bowl honors for the first time, and then landed himself a huge five-year, $82.5 million contract from LA in the spring of 2022.
Los Angeles Chargers make JC Jackson a healthy scratch in NFL Week 3
Due to his poor showing this season, the team made a surprise but necessary move on Sunday. NFL Network league inside Tom Pelissero was one of the first to report this morning that “Chargers CB JC Jackson is a healthy scratch vs. the Vikings.”
The news is not good for the Los Angeles Chargers who still owe Jackson $24.4 million this season and next. That comes before they have an opt-out ahead of the 2025 season that would slice some money off their salary cap that season.
Jackson’s 2022 contract included a $25 million signing bonus and $40 million in guaranteed money over the life of the pact. He has one interception and 18 tackles in his seven games for the organization.