Patriots Release Former Pro Bowl Cornerback J.C. Jackson

The move saves New England a significant chunk of change.

After a brief reunion in 2023, the New England Patriots are moving on from cornerback J.C. Jackson once again.

The Patriots announced they cut the former Pro Bowler on Friday afternoon. New England acquired Jackson in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 4.

Jackson’s eight-game, six-start stopover with the Patriots in ’23 represented his second stint with the team. The Maryland product played for New England from 2018 to ’21, winning Super Bowl LIII as a rookie and reaching the Pro Bowl in 2021.

That ’21 season—during which Jackson led the league in passes defended and helped the Patriots make their final playoff appearance under coach Bill Belichick—motivated the Chargers to sign Jackson to a five-year, $82.5 million contract.

Jackson’s tenure with Los Angeles was largely a disaster. He ruptured his patellar tendon in 2022 and was eventually traded for a sixth-round draft pick in October.

New England, which saved about $14 million in cap space by cutting Jackson, is entering its first year under new coach Jerod Mayo.