Giants Country

10 Most Indispensable New York Giants: No. 7 Might Not Be Much Longer for This List

The Giants defensive secondary suffered without cornerback Adoree' Jackson last year but could be looking ahead toward life without him after this season.

Joe Najarian

10 Most Indispensable New York Giants: No. 7 Might Not Be Much Longer for This List
10 Most Indispensable New York Giants: No. 7 Might Not Be Much Longer for This List /
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Who are the most indispensable New York Giants players? The Giants Country editorial team took a vote and ranked its top 10, which we are counting down on our way to the start of training camp. 

Adoree’ Jackson, CB

Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 185 pounds
College: USC | NFL Experience: 6 years
Career Stats: 69 games played, 313 tackles (263 solo), 3 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 60% career reception percentage, 10.9 yards per reception average.

After four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson signed a 3-year, $39 million contract with the New York Giants to play alongside James Bradberry.

Since his arrival, Jackson has become one of the team's most valuable and indispensable players. While not a ball hawk--he tallied only one interception during his New York tenure--Jackson is a shutdown corner with blanket-like coverage skills.

When the Giants cut Bradberry last off-season, Jackson became the No. 1 cornerback on the team, a guy who was often assigned to cover the opponent's top receiver.

However, Jackson has struggled with injuries in recent years. In 2022, he suffered a completely avoidable injury at an inopportune time, which happened on a punt return. Fortunately, he returned in time for the playoffs and played a huge role in the team’s first playoff win in 10 years.

But times could be changing for the Giants and Jackson. The cornerback is in the final year of his contract, and while it's expected that he will be one of the starters on defense so long as he's healthy, the team has shown known desire as of yet to extend him and is likely waiting to see what kind of season Jackson delivers this year.

Top 10 Indispensable Players 

No. 10: Kayvon Thibodeaux | No. 9: Leonard Williams | No. 8 Bobby Okereke

Why He’s Indispensable

In his two seasons with the Giants, Jackson earned coverage grades of 80.9 and 71.5 from PFF. In 2021, he allowed 34 receptions on 61 targets for a 55.7 reception percentage, allowing under 10 yards per reception. In 2022, he allowed 11.7 yards per reception but lowered the reception percentage to a career-best 53.7.

Despite missing the last six weeks of the season due to a knee injury, the Giants still squeaked into the playoffs, and Jackson returned in time for Wild Card weekend against the Minnesota Vikings. Jackson’s defensive play wasn’t just great; it was a major difference maker as he shut down wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year.

Jefferson, who, against a Giants defense in Week 16 without Jackson, had 133 yards and a touchdown on 12 receptions, was held to just 47 yards and no touchdowns on seven receptions in the Wild Card game. With Jefferson neutralized by Jackson, the Giants made defensive stops when it mattered most and won the game 31-24.

If the Giants can continue to get that kind of play from Jackson, their defensive secondary will be in great shape.

What Happens if He’s Missing?

The Giants saw firsthand what would happen to the defense without Jackson anchoring the secondary.

Jackson volunteered to return punts due to Richie James’ ineffectiveness in that role, but this was a huge mistake. In the Week 11 loss against the Detroit Lions, Jackson suffered an MCL sprain that shelved him until the playoffs.

Jackson’s absence loomed large on the defense, which struggled in the second half of the season. New York won just two more regular season games after Jackson got hurt, falling from 7-2 to 9-7-1. The defense allowed at least 20 points in the five losses and the tie against the Washington Commanders, and the secondary’s inability to match an opponent’s top receiver was exploited without him. If Jackson isn’t on the field, the same woes will occur.

Final Thoughts

The upcoming 2023 season will be the biggest season yet for Jackson, as he not only enters a contract year but will have another role as a mentor, further adding to his importance to the team.

But as to whether Jackson has a future beyond this year with the Giants, well, that all depends on how the coaches view Aaron Robinson and Cor'Dale Flott, two younger and less expensive draft picks who have experience playing on the boundary. 

Given Jackson's injury history and lack of splash plays, it's hard to envision the Giants extending Jackson's contract after this season. 

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Joe Najarian
JOE NAJARIAN

Joe Najarian, a Rutgers University graduate, covered Rutgers Football and Rutgers Baseball during an eight-month stint with Jersey Sporting News (JSN).

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