Would This Prospective UFA Cornerback Be a Good Fit for Giants' Defensive Secondary?

The New York Giants will need to fill in holes at several spots. Here is one veteran cornerback who has been suggested to help the defensive secondary.

Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) catches the ball as Carolina Panthers cornerback Michael Jackson (2) defends in overtime at Bank of America Stadium. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The New York Giants roster has some glaring holes that must be plugged to build success for the 2025 campaign. The quarterback position will likely be the utmost priority,  but additional spots will also demand attention.

One position that probably won’t be first on the Giants' list but is among the top priorities is the defensive secondary. New York added two valuable pieces to the deep end of the defense last offseason with the selections of safety Tyler Nubin and slot corner Dru Philips in the second and third rounds, respectively, of the 2024 NFL Draft. 

However, the position group has been put through the mill this season due to injuries and poor play. They’ll need some timely reinforcements, perhaps in the form of some veteran presence.

One such veteran whom Bleacher Report's scouting department believes would be an excellent free agent fit for the Giants is cornerback Michael Jackson, Sr. of the Carolina Panthers. 

Jackson, a fifth-year pro and former fifth-round draft pick from Miami, has been having an impressive season in his lone year with the Panthers. He has 59 tackles (46 solos), one interception, and has collected 12 pass deflections in 14 games, ranking second on the team’s defense behind fellow corner Jaycee Horn.

The numbers don’t jump off the page, as Jackson has a PFF coverage of 64.5 and a missed tackle rate of 13.4 percent. Still, he has played in the second-most coverage snaps of his career and been a nuisance for opposing receivers despite being targeted a second-most 75 times. 

Jackson last earned significant playing time during the 2022 season, when he was a heavy contributor for the Seattle Seahawks. He played in 1,082 total snaps, forced nine pass deflections, and made 13 stops while allowing just three touchdowns all season. He is 28, which makes him young enough still, and he likely won’t cost an arm and a leg to sign.  

Entering Week 16, the Giants secondary has been decent in the passing realm and has limited opponents to the seventh-fewest yards and 12th fewest passing touchdowns (19). Their biggest issues have been poor tackling and forcing turnovers on the other end plays, especially risky ones, as they have just two picks all season, one from linebacker Darius Muasau and the other from Tre Hawkins III.

Of the eight players on the Giants roster who’ve seen pass coverage snaps this year, a few of the main ones have been burnt in the zone coverage game. Four have allowed receptions on over 71.9 percent of their targets for at least 104 yards and nine touchdowns, but they haven’t been as keen at breaking up throws. 

The unit has also been devastated by injuries in recent weeks that have tested its depth further. Phillips, Deonte Banks, and Cor’Dale Flott have all been dealing with ailments, and Hawkins was recently added to the IR with a spinal injury suffered in Week 14 against the Saints.   

There is uncertainty expected with the return of certain players on the current roster, including Adoree’ Jackson, who was brought back late in the offseason for depth purposes after testing free agency and coming out empty. The Giants could bring in Jackson to fill his void and serve as one piece in a quest for veteran support in the young secondary. 

Michael Jackson has spent most of his NFL tenure as an outside corner. Depending on how he performed in camp–and assuming that the Giants don’t look to move Phillips to outside cornerback from the slot–Jackson, as the other outside corner, could potentially bring a resume of proactive production and an instinct for the football, which is something the Giants secondary has greatly lacked. 

Jackson’s efforts in the run game and tackling, where he’s faced similar issues as some of the current New York ballhawks, could raise some concerns. 

Those aside, Jackson is probably the next best thing to a blue-chip player that is still fairly young and knows how to excel against professional competition to help mentor the young players that the Giants are trying to develop.  

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