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Eddie Jackson

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/10/25

January 10th, 2025 at 10:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves and a few standard gameday practice squad elevations for the first games of the playoffs:

Chicago Bears

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Philadelphia Eagles

McFadden’s waiver claim has been accepted, but since the Bears have no more games this year, it has been deferred until the first business day after the Super Bowl, February 10.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/4/25

January 4th, 2025 at 9:47pm CST by Ely Allen

The last minor moves and standard gameday elevations of the 2024 NFL regular season:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Ross’ new deal to the Texans’ 53-man roster is good through the 2025 season, as well. Ditto for Jones, signed to the active roster in New England today.

Sanders returned to practice this week, and his activation will allow him to close out his second Panthers season on the field rather than on the mend. His Carolina tenure has fallen well short of expectations and a release in the near future could be in the cards. Given the team’s backfield injuries, though, Sanders could handle a notable workload tomorrow while potentially auditioning for free agent suitors.

Gilman’s return will be welcomed by the Chargers’ defense. The 27-year-old has remained a full-time starter this season, his second straight handling first-team duties. Los Angeles is assured of a wild-card spot, but moving up to the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff picture could be possible on Sunday. In any case, Gilman’s presence will be key for a Bolts defense which leads the league in points allowed per game (17.6).

Gardner’s campaign will come to an end after 15 games played. He fell short of a Pro Bowl nod for this first time in his young career, but the fourth pick of the 2022 draft remained a critical member of the team’s secondary when healthy. Gardner is eligible for an extension this offseason, and his financial future (which will include a fifth-year option decision in the spring) will be a key point of focus once New York’s head coach/general manager tandem is in place.

Chargers Place S Marcus Maye On IR, Add S Eddie Jackson To Practice Squad

December 23rd, 2024 at 7:45pm CST by Ben Levine

After losing one safety to injury, the Chargers have added a veteran to the practice squad. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the team has placed Marcus Maye on injured reserve. Meanwhile, the team announced that they’ve added Eddie Jackson to the taxi squad. To make room, the team has released running back John Kelly.

Maye suffered an ankle injury that knocked him out of last Thursday’s game. His placement on IR means he’s done for the regular season, but he could make a return if the Chargers make a postseason run.

The Chargers represent Maye’s third team over the past 12 months. He was cut by the Saints back in February and caught on with the Dolphins, where he proceeded to start three of his 11 appearances. The veteran mostly played behind Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer, and with the Dolphins needing to squeeze out some extra roster space, Maye was let go last month.

He was quickly scooped up by the Chargers, who were dealing with injuries in their safeties room. Maye’s addition coincided with Alohi Gilman‘s placement on IR, and the midseason acquisition has seen his fair share of snaps. In total, Maye has seen time in 112 defensive snaps in four games with the Chargers. Tony Jefferson saw an uptick in playing time when Maye exited Thursday’s game, although the team was already scrambling with Elijah Molden out of the lineup.

The Chargers do have a new name to choose from after they added Jackson earlier today. The former Bears standout was cut by Chicago last offseason before he landed in Baltimore. The two-time Pro Bowler got into nine games (four starts) with his new squad before getting cut in November. It took him a whole month to find a new gig, but he lands in an enticing situation in Los Angeles.

However, Jackson didn’t perform all that well in Baltimore. His 50.3 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) is the lowest of his career and ranks in the bottom 10 among NFL safeties this year. He also was displeased with his reduced workload, and “frustrations boiled over” prior to his eventual release. He’ll be seeking a fresh start in Los Angeles, although he may be hard pressed to play a significant role considering the point of the season.

Depending on Molden’s status, Jefferson will likely be inserted into the starting lineup, with Jackson potentially serving as a key backup. The Chargers could also turn to Kendall Williamson and/or Emany Johnson, and the could also get creative with Derwin James, who has played the majority of his snaps at slot CB this season.

Ravens Waive S Eddie Jackson

November 23rd, 2024 at 3:27pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens have waived veteran safety Eddie Jackson, according to a team announcement, ending his time in Baltimore after just over four months.

Jackson started four games this year with 339 total snaps, but played just 16 snaps against the Bengals in Week 10 before being sidelined as a healthy scratch in Week 11. His 50.3 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) is the lowest of his career and ranks in the bottom 10 among NFL safeties this year.

The veteran safety “wasn’t pleased with [a] reduced role,” per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, and his “frustrations boiled over” ahead of the Ravens’ trip to Pittsburgh. Jackson did not travel with the team last week, and Baltimore’s switch to Kyle Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington at deep safety led to one of their best pass defense performances of the year.

Jackson will now be subject to waivers, though his struggles this year make it unlikely that he will be claimed, especially since he has not contributed on special teams since 2022. The Ravens will have to absorb Jackson’s $250k signing bonus and the remainder of his $750k of guaranteed salary on the salary cap, per OverTheCap, but another team will cover his salary if he is claimed on waivers. If Jackson clears waivers, he can sign with any team or their practice squad. A return to the Ravens’ practice squad seems unlikely given his recent frustrations.

The Ravens also signed linebacker and core special teamer Kristian Welch to their active roster from their practice squad. Welch had been elevated from the practice squad for the last three games, playing 73% of the team’s special teams snaps. With no more elevations remaining, Baltimore promoted Welch to the 53-man roster to ensure he can play on Monday night against the Chargers.

Ravens S Eddie Jackson A Healthy Scratch

November 16th, 2024 at 3:39pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens have been dealing with an uncharacteristically terrible pass defense in 2024. While fingers can be pointed at a disappointing linebacking corps or a rookie defensive coordinator, one of the clearest weaknesses on Baltimore’s defense has been abysmal veteran safety play. To wit, the team has announced that Eddie Jackson will be a healthy scratch for the second time this season and will not travel to Pittsburgh with the team.

Jackson’s second benching will mark the third time a Ravens veteran safety has been benched because of their poor play. Marcus Williams was benched earlier this year for the Ravens’ Week 8 loss to the Browns, a game in which Jackson performed so badly in coverage, he earned his first benching of the year the following week.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), out of 29 defensive players to see playing time in Baltimore, the five worst players come from the secondary with Jackson ranking 25th and Williams ranking 29th. PFF’s ranking of safeties league-wide sees Jackson rank 82nd and Williams rank 86th out of 87 graded players at the position.

While Jackson’s benching for this week continues a frustrating season for the Ravens’ secondary, it does come with a silver-lining. The team’s All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton left last week’s win over the Bengals with an ankle injury. It seems extremely unlikely that Baltimore would bench a healthy Jackson if there was any chance that Hamilton would miss this week’s divisional matchup. Hamilton missed practice Wednesday and was limited on Thursday but fully participated yesterday and should be good to go tomorrow.

Still, the Ravens are desperate to see improvements in the secondary in Week 11. Lately, the team has been utilizing former undrafted defensive back Ar’Darius Washington, who has bounced back and forth between safety and cornerback, in the slot, allowing Hamilton to play a bit more often at his natural safety spot. Washington performed phenomenally in the role last week, but Williams’ struggles continued to bite the defense.

Baltimore will continue to throw things against the wall in hopes that something will stick. This week, the strategy is keeping Jackson from being able to hurt the defense against a hot-handed Russell Wilson.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Faalele, Steelers

July 25th, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns wrapping their Amari Cooper negotiations without an extension places Jerry Jeudy as the team’s long-term centerpiece at wide receiver. The recent trade acquisition, who received $41MM guaranteed at signing, is locked in through 2027. Cooper, 30, received $5MM in incentives but is positioned to play for a new contract this season.

In guaranteeing Cooper $20MM in 2024 — money he was almost definitely going to see once his salary became guaranteed in early September — the Browns moved $18.79MM of his salary into a signing bonus, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes, with two void years added. If Cooper is not extended by the start of the 2025 league year, the Browns would incur a $22.6MM dead money hit. For 2024, however, Cleveland created $15MM in cap space, per Spotrac. Despite skipping minicamp, Cooper said he was not considering a training camp holdout.

“Honestly, it wasn’t really about money,” Cooper said, via the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling. “It was more so in the language of my contract when I signed a five-year deal with the Cowboys. Only two years is guaranteed. This is the last year of that deal, but it isn’t guaranteed until the week of the first game.”

This agreement seems a small victory for a player of Cooper’s caliber, especially after the former first-rounder established a new career-high in receiving yards (1,250) to help a depleted offense last season. The Browns have an added motivation to extend Cooper before next March now, with the looming void year-driven cap penalty working in his favor.

Here is the latest from Cleveland and the rest of the AFC North:

  • Greg Newsome began Browns camp on the active/NFI list, and Kevin Stefanski shed some light on why. The fourth-year cornerback underwent hamstring surgery Thursday, and cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot notes the team hopes to have him back by Week 1. Newsome landing on the NFI list as opposed to the PUP list indicates he sustained the injury away from the team’s facility. Stefanski did not specify when the injury occurred. Dalvin Tomlinson, who is on the Browns’ active/PUP list, is set for arthroscopic knee surgery Friday. The team hopes, per Easterling, the veteran DT is back by Week 1. Tomlinson and the Browns decided this week surgery would be necessary. Both players were key starters for Jim Schwartz‘s No. 1-ranked defense last season.
  • Third-year Ravens O-lineman Daniel Faalele‘s best shot to start this season may come at right guard. Despite being a tackle fill-in during his first two seasons, the 6-foot-8, 380-pound blocker is being given extensive work at RG, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). Faalele is primarily competing with Ben Cleveland and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu at RG, per Zrebiec. John Harbaugh said the Ravens will move O-linemen around during camp, as Cleveland saw tackle reps this offseason, but the 17th-year HC confirmed the team is giving Faalele a shot to be a rather tall guard early in camp. It would also not surprise to see Faalele be given a shot at right tackle, where he played 157 snaps last season. Baltimore needs three new O-line starters after guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson leaving in free agency and the team trading Morgan Moses to the Jets.
  • Eddie Jackson‘s Ravens deal is a one-year pact worth $1.5MM, Wilson notes. The longtime Bears starter received $1MM guaranteed. While this is a steep reduction from Jackson’s previous Chicago extension (four years, $58.4MM), he is far from the only experienced safety to accept a significant pay cut this offseason.
  • Tyler Matakevich‘s Steelers contract will be worth the veteran minimum, Wilson adds. The ninth-year linebacker will be due $1.21MM in base salary, but the team has not guaranteed its former seventh-rounder anything.

Ravens Notes: Jackson, Bateman, OL, Tampa

July 22nd, 2024 at 8:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Before veteran Eddie Jackson landed in Baltimore, the safety got a ringing endorsement from a Ravens defender. Linebacker Roquan Smith told reporters that he put in a good word to management about Jackson.

“Yes, I always tell the truth,” Smith said (via the team’s website). “I have great respect for Eddie [Jackson] and [I’ve] known Eddie since I came into the league. Like I said earlier, I think he’s a great asset for our team. [He’s] obviously been making plays in this league for a very long time, and with the pieces that we have here, and then with his talent, and having him in his role, I think it will go well for us.”

Jackson previously spent his entire seven-year career with the Bears, and he played more than four of those seasons alongside Smith. After starting all 100 of his appearances in Chicago, Jackson won’t be nearly as relied upon in Baltimore. The team is mostly looking for a replacement for Geno Stone, who often played with Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton in three-safety looks.

Smith also touched on the major shakeup on the sidelines. Inside linebackers coach Zach Orr replaced Mike Macdonald as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator, and the star pass-rusher is optimistic that the new defensive play-caller will seamlessly replace the former defensive play-caller.

“I think are very similar that’s here, and I have a great deal of respect for Zach [Orr and] his mindset,” Smith said. “He’s been out there on the field, and believe it or not, obviously him and Mike [Macdonald] are two totally different people, and they’re unique in their own way, but through the headset, they actually sound the same. Every voice I’ve heard through a headset all sounds the same. I’m like, ‘Is that Mike or something?’ I told ‘Z.O.’ one day during OTAs, so it’s pretty funny. I’m excited for ‘Z.O.,’ for him to showcase what he’s able to do with the pieces that we have here and showcase it to the world. We’ve all been doubted before, [how] things may not be as good as this, that or the third, but the game gives us the opportunity to prove that. I have a great deal of respect for ‘Z.O.,’ and that he’ll prove it week-in and week-out, and it’s going to start here in training camp, preparing for the year.”

More notes out of Baltimore…

Ravens To Sign S Eddie Jackson

July 19th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Another member of the veteran safety market has found a deal ahead of training camp. Eddie Jackson has agreed to a contract with the Ravens, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

To little surprise, Schefter adds this is a one-year agreement. Many veterans at all positions take short-term accords at this point in the offseason, but that has particularly been the expectation at the safety spot in 2024. Jackson had spent his entire seven-year career with the Bears, but he will now turn his attention to Baltimore as the next phase of his NFL tenure begins.

The 30-year-old has started each of his 101 regular season and playoff games, earning a number of accolades along the way. Jackson received first-team All-Pro honors in 2018 and he duplicated his Pro Bowl nod from that season during the following campaign. He has recorded multiple interceptions four times in his career, but his ball production has declined over time. The former fourth-rounder was named as a trade candidate ahead of the 2023 deadline, though no suitors emerged.

Jackson entered the 2024 offseason with one year remaining on his deal, and he was due $14.15MM in compensation. None of his base salary was guaranteed, though, and a message to Chicago sent in February suggested the Bears would move on. Days later, the team did indeed release the Alabama product. No reports had emerged in the following months connecting Jackson to any known suitors, but he will now spend the summer competing for a role in the Ravens’ secondary.

Baltimore still has Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton in place as starters, but the latter’s versatility was displayed last season when the team deployed three-safety looks. Geno Stone thus logged a notable workload, and his success earned him a deal from the Bengals in free agency. The Ravens added options to replace Stone during and after the draft, but Jackson represents a veteran presence capable of serving in a third safety capacity. His 87% defensive snap share in 2023 was the lowest of his career, and a 120.6 passer rating allowed illustrates his struggles in coverage.

Jackson will not be counted on as a full-time defender as long as Williams and Hamilton remain healthy. He could earn a part-time role in the secondary over the coming weeks, though, and in that event he could use the 2024 campaign to rebuild his free agent value to an extent as he joins a new team for the first time in his career.

Bears Cut Cody Whitehair, Eddie Jackson

February 15th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cody Whitehair has been in Chicago since 2016, but his time with the Bears will come to an end this offseason. The veteran offensive lineman has been released, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since announced the move. Safety Eddie Jackson has also been let go.

One year remained on Whitehair’s deal, but none of his $10.15MM salary was guaranteed. As a result, this move will yield $9.15MM in cap savings and a dead cap charge of $4.1MM. Today’s news come as little surprise, but it will give the 31-year-old a head start on free agency.

After arriving in Chicago in 2016, Whitehair saw immediate playing time at center. He remained at that position for much of his first three seasons with the team, starting every game and earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2018. Things began to change after that point, though, as the former second-rounder started splitting his time between center and left guard. He operated as the full-time LG in 2021 and ’22, and that was his primary spot this past season.

Whitehair’s PFF evaluations have seen a decline in recent years, and his 45 mark represents a career low. He was charged with three sacks and 22 pressures allowed in pass protection, and the Bears will now move forward with other options along the interior of their O-line. Chicago made a sizable free agent investment in Nate Davis last offseason, and after being drafted as a tackle, Teven Jenkins has shown promise at both guard spots. They, along with 2023 first-rounder Darnell Wright, will be key pieces up front for Chicago moving forward.

Jackson, too, had one year remaining on his current contract but faced the possibility of being let go. He recently indicated a cut would be coming, and the news is now official on that front. Jackson started each of his 100 games with Chicago, but injuries and declining production weighed heavily as factors working against him being retained for 2024 and beyond.

The 30-year-old was due over $14MM next season, but his release will save roughly $12.5MM in cap space. Given the financial benefits, Jackson’s release also comes as little surprise. The Bears were already slated to be in a better situation with respect to cap space than many teams, but these moves will add to their flexibility. Whitehair and Jackson will collectively account for just under $9.7MM in dead money in 2024.

Jaquan Brisker has established himself as a key contributor at the safety position in the present and the future for Chicago, but the other starting spot will need filling this offseason. The Bears have a number of relatively inexperienced incumbent options to choose from, along with the free agent and draft avenues to pursue a Jackson replacement. The two-time Pro Bowler last played a full season in 2020, and he has recorded one or fewer interceptions in three of the past four years.

Still, he and Whitehair will be able to sign with an interested team at any time (as opposed to having to wait for the start of the new league year in mid-March). It will be interesting to see how much of a market they will manage to generate, though deals worth much less than what they were originally due should be expected. Chicago will move forward with roughly $67MM in cap space, the third-highest total in the league as cost-cutting season picks up.

Bears Likely To Release S Eddie Jackson?

February 11th, 2024 at 2:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

During the 2023 season, the future of Bears safety Eddie Jackson was unclear. A potential trade chip, he was not dealt at the trade deadline. It would come as a surprise if he were in Chicago for the 2024 campaign, however.

Jackson recently appeared to bid farewell to the city in an Instagram post, The 30-year-old has spent his entire career with the Bears, but injuries and finances have become a complicating factor in his situation. Jackson last played a full campaign in 2020, and he has recorded more than one interception in a season only once during that span.

The two-time Pro Bowler is due $14.15MM in 2024, the final season of his current contract. No guaranteed salary exists on his pact, however, so the Bears could move on with little financial implications. A release before June 1 would yield $12.56MM in savings with a dead cap charge of $5.58MM. Designating him a post-June 1 cut would alter those figures to $14.15MM and $3.99MM, respectively. Jackson’s brief message implies he will be let go in the near future, a move which would come as little surprise given the financial benefits of doing so.

Jackson’s resurgent 2022 performance – in which he recorded four interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles – drew a PFF grade of 76.2, the second-highest mark of his career. His rating this year (58.6) was in line with his others in recent seasons, though, due in part to poor coverage grades. The Alabama product allowed three touchdowns and a passer rating of 120.6 in coverage in 2023, something which would hurt his value in the event he reached free agency.

Jackson was mentioned as a name to watch on the trade front in advance of the trade deadline. Taking on the 2024 portion of his contract would have been burdensome for an acquiring team, though, and he finished out the year with Chicago. The former fourth-rounder logged a 100% snap share in each game he was healthy for, proving his ability to log a starter’s workload with the Bears or a new team moving forward.

Chicago has 2022 second-rounder Jaquan Brisker in place as a safety starter, and he will be counted on as a key defender for the foreseeable future. The Bears have a number of other inexpensive options at the position, including Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Jones, Quindell Johnson, Douglas Coleman and Adrian Colbert. Jackson, a veteran of 100 starts, could offer at least experienced depth on the backend of an interested team, although a free agent agreement would likely come at a much lower cost than what he is currently due.

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