Patriots Rumors: New Details On J.C. Jackson’s Week 5 Status

J.C. Jackson will face a trial by fire Sunday, albeit at a temperature he’s used to.

The veteran cornerback is expected to play for the Patriots when they host the New Orleans Saints, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano. New England acquired Jackson on Wednesday in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers, who became disillusioned with the 27-year-old just 19 months after signing him to a lucrative contract.

Jackson spent the first four years of his career with the Patriots, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2021.

“It sounds like CB J.C. Jackson, acquired from the Chargers this week, will play in the game,” Graizano wrote on the X platform. “He didn’t need to learn the defense.”

It’ll be interesting to see what version of Jackson the Patriots get.

When healthy, Jackson has enough talent to be an upper-echelon boundary cornerback. But he battled injuries and on-field struggles with the Chargers and recently admitted to not being 100%.

Nevertheless, New England needs him. Standout rookie Christina Gonzalez reportedly will miss the rest of the season due to a torn labrum, and corners Jonathan Jones, Jack Jones and Marcus Jones also are dealing with injuries.

As for how much Jackson actually will play against the Saints, that remains to be seen. However, ESPN’s Mike Reiss noted his role could be “considerable.”