J.C. Jackson apparently will be receiving a call from the West Coast on Monday.
The NFL’s legal tampering period kicks off two days prior to Wednesday’s official start of the new league year. That means free agents, like Jackson, can talk shop with any team across the league and even arrange contracts with the intent to sign.
According to NBC Sports’ Peter King, one team Jackson will be hearing from is the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I think the Chargers’ approach will continue today with an early run at a couple of targets in free agency,” King wrote in his latest Football Morning in America column. “One will be Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson, the NFL’s leader in interceptions over the past three seasons. He hasn’t missed a game over the past three years, he’s only 26, and he’s a good buddy and former Florida high school 7-on-7 teammate of Chargers safety Derwin James. But I don’t think Jackson will be the only Chargers’ target of the early tampering period, and they won’t be solely focused on filling a cornerback need (Chargers allowed 27 TD passes last year) with Jackson if the money gets out of control.”
It would behoove the Bolts to be one of the more active teams in free agency this offseason. Trying to knock off the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West is a still challenge in itself, but the division recently became even tougher with the Denver Broncos’ reported trade for Russell Wilson. LA has $20.6 million in available cap space, per Spotrac, and it shouldn’t spare any expenses as tries to surround Justin Herbert with above-average talent.
As for other teams that could pursue Jackson, we probably should keep an eye on the New York Jets.
