J.C. Jackson Made Solid Fashion Choice Upon Rejoining Patriots

FOXBORO, Mass. — J.C. Jackson rejoined the Patriots on Thursday morning, and he apparently did so in style.

“He showed up in a blazer today,” defensive tackle Lawrence Guy said before practice. “And I was like, ‘What’s up my man?!’ I hadn’t seen him in a while.”

New England acquired Jackson on Wednesday in a trade with the Chargers. Jackson spent the first four years of his career with the Patriots, including earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. But he battled injuries and on-field struggles over his 19 months in Los Angeles before ultimately being sent back to Foxboro.

Whether Jackson, who recently admitted to not being 100% healthy, can help the Patriots withstand the loss of rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez remains to be seen. But the 27-year-old knows the system and remains a talented player.

“It’s good,” Guy said. “He’s back here, we know he’s gonna bring a lot to the team. And it’s good to see a familiar face in the locker room. With a lot of new people coming in and a lot of people going out, it’s good to see somebody else come back in that we know, who knows the system. So, he’s gonna be able to come back in at full speed. Not that big of an adjustment from when he left to what it is now.”

We still have no idea whether Jackson will play this Sunday when the Patriots host the New Orleans Saints.

New England will practice Thursday and Friday before holding a closed walkthrough Saturday. If Jackson is going to suit up Sunday, he presumably will need at least some practice time to get ready.

That said, the Patriots’ situation at cornerback has become increasingly dire. Even if Jackson isn’t ready, they might have no choice but to play him.