FOXBORO, Mass. -- Despite the departure of Stephone Gilmore, the New England Patriots still are on track to send a cornerback to the Pro Bowl.
J.C. Jackson began Thursday as the top vote-getter among all AFC cornerbacks. Should the fourth-year pro eventually make the roster, it would be a deserved honor for a player who has emerged as one of the most productive cornerbacks in the NFL. Jackson entered Week 15 ranked second in the league in interceptions (seven) and tied for fourth in pass breakups (eight). He currently is the 11th-ranked corner at Pro Football Focus.
"I just want to thank my peers, the players I play against, the fans," Jackson said Wednesday about those who have voted for him. "I appreciate you guys for the votes and just believing in me."
Jackson, who went undrafted in 2018, also talked about what a Pro Bowl nod would mean to him. Rosters will be announced next Monday night.
"It's a huge accomplishment for me," he said. "I've never been in the Pro Bowl, so just making that, getting that acknowledgment, it'd mean a lot. It means I'm doing something good."
Jackson's continued great play has been huge for the Patriots, who lost slot corner Jonathan Jones to a season-ending injury shortly after trading Gilmore. New England's secondary somehow has gotten better over the last two months.
The 26-year-old Jackson will be a free agent this offseason and likely is bound for a huge payday -- one way or another.
