In an effort to center their rebuilding around quarterback Bryce Young, the Carolina Panthers plan to let go of costly veterans like cornerback Donte Jackson.
The LSU graduate was first chosen in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft and was given a starting position right away. He never gave it up. He never made it to the Pro Bowl, but throughout his rookie contract, he was a reliable starter.
Before the 2022 season, the Panthers rewarded Donte Jackson with a three-year contract deal. He regrettably suffered an Achilles tear halfway through the campaign, although he recovered well enough for 2023. Out of 127 eligible players, the seasoned cornerback started and played in 16 games, culminating in the 63rd-best PFF grade for the season.
Donte Jackson is still a reliable cornerback, but the $15.7 million the Panthers are expected to pay him is not worth it. Carolina will be able to release $5.9 million in cap space—a much-needed resource to improve the offense—by breaking up with him. The cornerback will either be traded or released by the Panthers before to his roster bonus on March 16th, according to Jeremy Fowler.
Donte Jackson will most likely have to be released by the Panthers even though a trade is still theoretically possible. At this stage of his career, the LSU product is nothing extraordinary, and teams are unlikely to want to part with a draft pick for a fairly pricey and unimpressive starter.
On the other hand, Donte Jackson should garner at least a little interest as a free agent once the Panthers release him. The passing game is king in today’s NFL, and there can never be too many talented cornerbacks. Although it would not be ideal to have Jackson in single coverage against Ja’Marr Chase, he is a dependable cornerback that many teams would like to have.
