Bama Central

The Extra Point: Kareem Jackson's Return Could be Crucial for Broncos

Denver hopes former Alabama cornerback-turned-safety will be the glue in revamped secondary.

Christopher Walsh

Kareem Jackson had a rocky offseason in that he was set to make $11 million in the final year of his contract with the Denver Broncos, only to have the team decline his option at the start of free agency. 

Unfortunately, he found out that there's not a very big market for 32-year-old defensive backs. Jackson eventually re-signed with the Broncos, one year for $5 million. 

Overall, Jackson's three years with the Broncos will still make him $28 million. 

Even better news for the former Alabama cornerback is that he could be poised for a big year. 

Per Mile High Huddle, Denver used the cap space to make Justin Simmons the highest-paid safety in the NFL. Simmons and Jackson was one of the top-ranked safety tandems in the NFL over the past two seasons. 

The Broncos also signed two free agent cornerbacks, All-Pro Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby. 

After leaving Alabama a year early, Jackson was drafted No. 20 overall by the Houston Texans in 2010. He mostly played cornerback in his nine years with the Texans where he notched 16 interceptions, 88 passes defensed, 559 tackles, and two sacks.

Jackson signed a three-year deal with the Broncos in 2019, switched to safety, and made a quick impact with two interceptions, 10 pass break-ups, and 74 tackles — a season in which some may have argued he deserved a Pro Bowl spot. However, he missed the final three games because of a league suspension for a DUI charge.

In 2020, Jackson had 89 tackles, four passes defensed, and one interception, but played in all 16 games. 

The Extra Point is a regular weekday feature on BamaCentral, and often includes video and other elements from our FanNation partners. Other recent segments include:

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Christopher Walsh
CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.