We should soon find out where J.C. Jackson will be playing football in 2022.
The New England Patriots cornerback hinted at his impending free agent decision with a wordless post on his Instagram story.
The post featured just two eyeball emojis on a black background.
Our guess: Jackson is headed to the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers have been heavily rumored as the most likely landing spot for the Pro Bowl cover man, and LA safety Derwin James shared an identical post on his Twitter account within seconds of Jackson’s.
Jackson, who’s expected to command big money after grabbing an NFL-high 25 interceptions over his four seasons with the Patriots, would fill a need for the Chargers, who did not have a cornerback ranked higher than 60th in Pro Football Focus’s player grades this past season. They also play in a star-studded AFC West that now features opposing quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Derek Carr and Russell Wilson.
NFL Media’s Mike Giardi reported Monday that LA had made a formal contract offer to Jackson.
Losing Jackson will create a major hole in New England’s secondary, as the Patriots do not have a viable internal replacement for him on their roster. They’re expected to add multiple cornerbacks through free agency and/or the 2022 NFL Draft.
Free agents cannot officially sign with new teams until the NFL league year opens Wednesday afternoon.
UPDATE (4:53 p.m. ET): And there it is:
