Patriots trade for familiar face in J.C. Jackson after CB flops with Chargers

Cornerback J.C. Jackson, once again, is on the move. And this time, it's back to a familiar spot.

Jackson is being traded to the New England Patriots, the team where he started his NFL career, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak before the team made an announcement. The deal will become official once Jackson passes a physcial.

To complete the trade, the Patriots are expected to swap a sixth-round selection in the 2025 NFL draft with a seventh-round pick from the Los Angeles Chargers, per NFL Media.

Jackson, 27, had failed to live up to the expectations that came after he signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Chargers in March 2022. In his time in Los Angeles, Jackson recorded just one interception and has missed significant time with injuries; he had appeared in just seven games since the start of the 2022 season.

He was a healthy scratch for a Week 3 victory against the Minnesota Vikings. He dressed for Sunday's victory against the Raiders, but did not play a single snap.

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Jackson joined the Patriots in 2018 as an undrafted free agent and was instantly productive for the franchise. In his four seasons with New England, he picked off 25 passes, including 17 in his final two seasons there. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and was named a second-team All-Pro following the 2021 campaign.

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In late September, an arrest warrant was issued for Jackson out of Attleboro (Massachusetts) District Court probation.

Jackson was charged with criminal speeding in 2021. According to multiple reports, Jackson was ordered to pay a $300 fine and attend a reckless drivers class. The Chargers cornerback didn’t comply with his probation terms and didn’t appear in court last Friday, which prompted a warrant for his arrest.

The Patriots (1-3) face a sudden need as rookie first-round cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who has starred in his brief time with the team, was knocked out of a Week 4 loss against the Cowboys with a shoulder injury. According to NFL Network, Gonzalez is likely to miss the rest of the 2023 season with a torn labrum, which happened when the shoulder was dislocated. Gonzalez had been named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September.