Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson is headed back to New England, multiple media outlets reported Wednesday.
The Patriots have injury concerns in the secondary and Jackson’s relationship with the Chargers has soured.
Per the NFL Network, the Chargers will receive a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and the Patriots will pick up a seventh-rounder in the same draft.
Jackson, 28, signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with Los Angeles in March 2022 after four seasons in New England.
He was a healthy scratch for Week 3 against Minnesota and was active but played zero snaps in Week 4 versus Las Vegas.
“I’m still kind of confused and don’t have answers to why I’m getting treated like this,” Jackson said last week.
Patriots rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez sustained a shoulder injury in Sunday’s loss to Dallas and is likely to miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Gonzalez, 21, was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Month in September. The first-round pick (23rd overall) has 17 tackles, one interception and one sack in four starts.
New England’s Jack Jones (hamstring) and Marcus Jones (shoulder) are on injured reserve and fellow cornerback Jonathan Jones (ankle) has not played since Week 1.
Jackson has recorded 176 tackles, 58 passes defensed and 26 interceptions in 69 games (46 starts) with the Patriots (2018-21) and Chargers. He won Super Bowl LIII with New England and made the Pro Bowl in 2021.
–Field Level Media