Giants CB Adoree’ Jackson recently expressed his willingness to negotiate a new contract with the team, but it does not appear like the interest is mutual. According to Paul Schwartz of The New York Post, Jackson’s chances of re-signing are slim, thus he will most likely look for a new job when free agency begins next month.
Jackson, who will turn 29 shortly after the 2024 regular season begins, recently completed the three-year, $39 million contract he signed with the Giants in March 2021. At the time, the 2017 first-round pick was coming off a relatively successful four-year stint with the Titans, though his platform campaign in 2020 was cut short by a knee injury that limited him to three games. While Tennessee cut him before his rookie deal’s fifth-year option became guaranteed (the 2018 class of first-round picks was the first whose fifth-year options became guaranteed immediately upon exercise), he was still able to land a significant contract due to his previous body of work.
In his first year in New York, Jackson restored himself as a good starting cornerback, getting a 74.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and restricting opposing quarterbacks to a 69.0 QB rating (his career high). He basically duplicated that performance in 2022 before dealing with another difficult contract season last year.
Jackson started the 2023 season in the slot to accommodate rookie Tre Hawkins. Hawkins was later benched, allowing Jackson to resume his traditional boundary role. The USC product had a PFF coverage grade of 45.9, the lowest of his career, as he allowed a passer rating of 95.5 and two touchdowns as the nearest defender. Between that awful performance, his usual lack of playmaking — he has only four interceptions in 83 career games — and the fact that he missed 14 games due to injuries during his three-year tenure with the Giants, New York is obviously ready to move on.
However, considering his performance as a strong starter at a premium position for five of his seven years in the NFL, Spotrac believes Jackson could command a four-year contract worth more than $11 million per year on the open market. That still seems a little optimistic in light of Jackson’s disappointing 2023, and PFF predicts a far more modest one-year deal of $7MM (subscription required).
If Jackson is forced to accept a prove-it deal, he may finally be able to put together a healthy and productive platform season, allowing him to enter the free agent market with more momentum in 2025.
