Seattle Seahawks CB Mike Jackson Agrees to New One-Year Contact

As the Seattle Seahawks attempt to sign their latest draft class, the team created significant cap space by agreeing to an altered, team-friendly deal with Mike Jackson.

Nov 6, 2022; Seattle Seahawks 30 s defensive back Mike Jackson (30) tackles Arizona Cards / David Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

With the Seattle Seahawks sitting in the red after signing first-round pick Byron Murphy II on Friday, the first domino has dropped to get the franchise back in financial compliance.

According to a team source, the Seahawks agreed to terms with veteran cornerback Mike Jackson on a new one-year deal, opening up nearly $1.9 million in salary cap relief. Under terms of the revised deal, his base salary for 2024 drops from $3.116 million on an original round restricted free agent tender to $1.055 million with no guaranteed money along with a $167,000 signing bonus.

Originally entering the league as a fifth-round pick for the Cowboys in 2019, Jackson bounced around with a couple of teams before joining the Seahawks practice squad in 2021. Playing well as an injury replacement late that season, he signed a future/reserve deal in January 2022 and then beat out Sidney Jones for the starting job opposite of Riq Woolen in training camp.

Mike Jackson celebrates an interception against the Jets with Seahawks teammate Quandre Diggs. / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Starting all 17 games during the 2022 season, Jackson outperformed expectations, registering 75 tackles, one interception, and 11 pass breakups. Brought back as an exclusive rights free agent, the return of a healthy Tre Brown coupled with the arrival of top-five pick Devon Witherspoon pushed him out of the lineup last season, but he wound up starting four games in the second half of the season, finishing with five pass breakups and allowing no touchdowns in coverage.

Now under contract on a more team-friendly deal with a signing bonus up front, Jackson will once again compete for snaps on the outside in new coach Mike Macdonald's scheme, likely vying for playing time against Woolen and Tre Brown. The Seahawks will also have two newcomers in the mix after using day three draft picks on Auburn cornerbacks Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James, with the latter already getting work in the slot in rookie minicamp.

Regardless of whether he agreed to a new deal or stayed on his restricted free agent tender, Jackson will be an unrestricted free agent next March and will look to use this year to earn himself some money in Seattle or elsewhere.

Since the Seahawks are still up against the cap, though now they are technically in compliance, general manager John Schneider may have another move or two up his sleeves to create a bit more flexibility before training camp arrives in July. He typically has tried to have more wiggle room available in case the team wants to make a deal at the trade deadline and as of right now, assuming the entire draft class gets signed soon, that flexibility isn't available with under $2 million in effective cap space.