Patriots Bring Back J.C. Jackson in Trade With Chargers, per Report

Bill Belichick and the Patriots are making moves, bringing a familiar face back into the mix.

The Patriots are making moves, pulling off a trade on Wednesday to bring back a familiar face in cornerback J.C. Jackson, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The deal comes on the heels of a game in which Jackson didn’t play a single snap for the Chargers despite being listed as active in Week 4.

The trade will send Jackson and a 2025 seventh-round pick to New England in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick going to Los Angeles, as SI’s Albert Breer reported. As Breer pointed out, this comes on the heels of an injury to Patriots’ rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who’s out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Source: The Chargers are trading CB JC Jackson and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Patriots for a 2025 sixth-round pick.

With Christian Gonzalez down, Jackson's going back to Foxboro.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 4, 2023

Jackson spent the first four years of his NFL career in New England, playing in 62 games and totaling 158 combined tackles, 53 passes defensed and 25 interceptions while starting 39 games. He previously signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Chargers prior to the 2022 season.

The 27-year-old cornerback played in just seven games over two seasons as a member of the Chargers, totaling 18 combined tackles with five passes defensed and one interception. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Chargers will pay “the majority” of Jackson’s $12 million in guaranteed salary.

The #Chargers are paying the majority of J.C. Jackson’s $12 million guaranteed salary to facilitate the deal, I’m told. They move on from a player who didn’t fit and the #Patriots get immediate help with rookie Christian Gonzalez likely out for the season per @RapSheet. https://t.co/YwPwU45MxY

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 4, 2023

Jackson was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2018 after initially spending one year with Florida and two seasons with Maryland. During his time with the Terrapins, Jackson totaled 80 combined tackles with 13 passes defensed and four interceptions over 24 games.

After seeing action in 13 games as a rookie with New England, Jackson went on to become an All-Pro for the Patriots in 2021, a season in which he racked up 58 tackles, 23 passes defensed and eight interceptions.