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Malik Jackson

DT Malik Jackson Retires

July 14th, 2023 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

After a decade spent in the NFL, followed by a one-year absence, Malik Jackson has decided to hang up his cleats. The former Pro Bowl defensive tackle announced on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football that he is retiring (video link).

Jackson spent the first four years of his career with the Broncos. He was a rotational player in his rookie season, but grew into a full-time starter by the 2015 campaign, one in which he played an instrumental role in the team’s Super Bowl title. His success set him up well for free agency that offseason, and he secured a six-year, $85.5MM contract from the Jaguars.

The former fifth-rounder only wound up spending three years in Duval County, though that stretch included his most productive season in 2017, where he recorded eight sacks in the regular season and another in the playoffs. That helped power Jacksonville’s run to the AFC title game, and earned Jackson his lone Pro Bowl nod. After failing to find a trade partner, however, the Jaguars ultimately released him in 2019.

That led Jackson to the Eagles in free agency, where he spent two seasons. After being limited to only one game in 2020, the Tennessee alum rebounded to an extent the following campaign, which earned him interest on the open market. After another release, Jackson signed with the Browns in 2021, where he once again operated as a full-time starter. He was not retained following the season, however.

No team signed Jackson during the 2022 campaign, making today’s retirement announcement an unsurprising one. The 33-year-old will leave the NFL with 153 combined regular and postseason games played, 37.5 sacks, a Super Bowl ring and just over $72MM in career earnings. Rather than looking to latch onto a new team for training camp, he will turn his attention to family life.

“That was the goal. 10 to 12 years was my goal,” Jackson said when reflecting on his career. “I was able to get to a point where I was doing OK. I was doing pretty well for myself. I did enough. I have a daughter, and I need to go home and be with her and start living life.”

Mayfield, Wide Receivers Central To Browns’ Offseason Plans

January 25th, 2022 at 12:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Especially if he is able to be fully healthy at the start of next year, Baker Mayfield will play a large role in determining if the Browns can rebound from a disappointing 2021 season. Even if that’s the case, though, the team could still look very different by that time. 

[Related: Browns Plan To Keep Baker Mayfield]

Both head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry have expressed confidence in Mayfield: “It’s easy to forget… what we’ve seen with Baker over the past several years. Obviously he had his most productive season in this offense under [Stefanski in 2020]” Berry said recently. That’s one of the reasons ESPN’s Jake Trotter writes that bringing Mayfield back on his fifth year option “seems to be the most likely outcome”, another being the lack of realistic trade targets. With that said, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal adds that “acquiring someone to push” Mayfield, such as Mitchell Trubisky or Marcus Mariota, is a strong possibility as well. Mayfield will have a price tag of just under $19MM in 2022.

Meanwhile, the wide receiver position is setting up to be an area of focus. With veteran Jarvis Landry in danger of being a cap casualty – he has no guaranteed money left on his deal, leaving Trotter to write that it “feels like he has played his last snap with the Browns” – rebuilding the pass-catching corps is sure to be a priority. While the Browns should have the cap space to target at least one experienced wideout, there is a growing sense of expectation they will use the draft as a means of acquiring a true No. 1. Mel Kiper’s first mock draft has Cleveland taking Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson, while Dane Brugler projects them taking Treylon Burks from Arkansas.

The two reporters are also in synch when it comes to the team’s defensive needs. Defensive tackle in particular looks to be a key area of focus, given the pending unrestricted free agency of 32-year-old Malik Jackson and the recent arrest of Malik McDowell. Trotter adds that edge rusher could also be a need, depending on what happens with Jadeveon Clowney in free agency. Just like receiver, the defensive front figures to see a significant overhaul in the coming months.

For a team that generated so many expectations heading into the 2021 season, the Browns clearly face a number of key roster decisions heading into the offseason to be able to meet them in the future.

 

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/6/22

January 6th, 2022 at 9:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the Thursday additions and subtractions from teams’ reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Browns To Sign DL Malik Jackson, LB Anthony Walker

March 19th, 2021 at 7:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

After adding two members of the Rams’ starting secondary, the Browns are turning their attention to the front seven. They agreed to terms with defensive lineman Malik Jackson and linebacker Anthony Walker on Friday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Yahoo’s Charles Robinson (Twitter links).

Jackson’s Broncos tenure overlapped with Joe Woods‘, with the current Browns DC having coached Denver’s secondary during Jackson’s stay. The nine-year veteran will come to Cleveland after spending two seasons in Philadelphia. A four-year vet, Walker is Ohio-bound after playing out his rookie contract in Indianapolis.

While Jackson was a starter in multiple schemes in Denver — including in Wade Phillips‘ 3-4 look that helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50 — he has worked primarily as a 4-3 defensive tackle since joining the Jaguars in 2016. Part of the Jags’ “Sacksonville” defense that pushed the team to the Super Bowl LII precipice, Jackson made the Pro Bowl after an eight-sack season in that 2017 campaign. However, the Jags made him a cap casualty ahead of their rebuild in 2019.

The Eagles signed Jackson shortly after, but he missed the ’19 season because of an injury. Jackson registered 2.5 sacks and logged 13 QB hits for the Eagles last season, returning to play in 15 games. The soon-to-be 31-year-old D-lineman will join a Browns team that just lost Larry Ogunjobi in free agency. Jackson could be in line to team with Sheldon Richardson as a starter in Cleveland.

Walker started alongside Darius Leonard for three seasons with the Colts. Working as Indianapolis’ primary middle linebacker, Leonard’s sidekick registered 321 tackles from 2018-20 and did not miss a game. He also posted 18 tackles for loss in that span, including 10 in 2018. Pro Football Focus did not grade Walker particularly well last season, slotting him near the bottom of its linebacker hierarchy, but the former fifth-round pick brings significant experience to a Browns defense that ranked 25th in DVOA last year.

In addition to the Jackson and Walker additions, the Browns have signed John Johnson and Troy Hill this week. They also re-signed linebacker Malcolm Smith.

Eagles Release DT Malik Jackson

March 17th, 2021 at 6:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Malik Jackson‘s stint with the Eagles has officially come to an end. The team announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve released the defensive tackle.

This move doesn’t come as a huge surprise; we learned back in January that the veteran was likely on his way out of Philly. The front office had adjusted Jackson’s contract to accommodate the impending transaction, a move that also saved the organization a chunk of cash.

The Eagles signed Jackson to a three-year, $30MM pact in March of 2019, and it was immediately derailed when he suffered a foot injury in the first game of that season that knocked him out for the entire year. He returned to play in 15 games this year, but only played around half the defensive snaps and not at a high enough level to warrant his hefty salary.

The 2012 fifth-round pick of the Broncos had a few really good years with the Jaguars and is still only 30, so there will be interest. While he’s far removed from his 2017 Pro Bowl campaign, the veteran still seems like he’s good for around three sacks per season.

Eagles Adjust Contracts Of Alshon Jeffery, Malik Jackson, Both On Way Out

January 4th, 2021 at 2:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Eagles’ disastrous 2020 campaign has come to an end, and to say they’ve got a pivotal offseason ahead of them would be a massive understatement. Obviously the team has to figure out their quarterback situation, but that’s far from the only issue that needs to be addressed.

They took one step forward on Monday as the team has adjusted the contracts of receiver Alshon Jeffery and defensive tackle Malik Jackson, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Before these moves Philly had the worst cap situation in the league, with a projected $70MM deficit against the 2021 cap. The move reduced the base salaries for both to give some immediate flexibility, but the agreed upon arrangement will force the Eagles to either cut the players or negotiate new deals with them.

As Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweeted, the expectation is that Philly will move on from both players, so they aren’t actually going to play 2021 at these reduced salaries and the restructure is more of a procedural move. It’s a win for the Eagles and also lets the players know their futures sooner so they can plan accordingly and hit free agency with everybody else instead of being left looking for a new team closer to the start of next season.

The Eagles signed Jackson to a three-year, $30MM pact in March of 2019, and it was immediately derailed when he suffered a foot injury in the first game of that season that knocked him out for the entire year. He returned to play in 15 games this year, but only played around half the defensive snaps and not at a high enough level to warrant his hefty salary. The 2012 fifth-round pick of the Broncos had a few really good years with the Jaguars and is still only 30, so there will be interest.

Jeffery is wrapping up a four-year stint in Philadelphia and will always have a large place in franchise history for his contributions to the 2017 team that won Super Bowl LII. Jeffery started all 16 games that year, racking up 789 yards and nine touchdowns. He had another very solid 2018 campaign but his play fell off a cliff last year as he dealt with injuries that limited him to ten games.

This past season he appeared in only seven contests due to injury, catching only six passes for 115 yards. The 2012 second-round pick from South Carolina turned into a star during his early career with the Bears, and is still only 30 as well, although he does have significant health question marks. It’ll be very interesting to see what his market looks like.

Eagles’ Miles Sanders Out 1-2 Weeks, Zach Ertz 3-4

October 19th, 2020 at 12:55pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Just when it looked like the Eagles might finally be getting some guys, like DeSean Jackson, back from injury, they lose a handful more. Running back Miles Sanders is expected to miss 1-2 weeks with his knee injury, while tight end Zach Ertz will miss 3-4 with a high ankle sprain, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

The hits didn’t stop there, as Mortensen noted in a follow-up tweet that defensive lineman Malik Jackson and offensive tackle Jack Driscoll are both looking at potential two-week absences. The injuries couldn’t come at a worse time for Philly, as they’re now 1-4-1 on the year and preparing for a divisional game against the Giants on Thursday Night Football.

Sanders has been one of the few bright spots on the team this season, and he had 118 yards on only nine carries before going down against Baltimore. Ertz’s injury is brutal since fellow tight end Dallas Goedert is already on injured reserve with an ankle injury of his own. Philly entered the year with a two-headed monster at tight end, and now both are on the shelf.

That being said Goedert is eligible to return as soon as this week, and if he’s able to go against the Giants that would be huge. Ertz hasn’t been putting up the numbers we’re used to seeing from him, and he’s reportedly very frustrated about his contract situation.

Jackson is a starter on defense, so that’s a big loss as well. Driscoll is a fourth-round rookie who found himself starting at right tackle on Sunday after an injury to Lane Johnson. The Eagles were already thin at tackle after the season-ending injury to Andre Dillard in August, and if Johnson isn’t ready to return the situation is going to get dire. It’s just been that type of season for Philadelphia.

Eagles Exercise Options On Carson Wentz, Alshon Jeffery, Others

March 27th, 2020 at 5:14pm CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles picked up Zach Ertz‘s 2021 option earlier today, but that wasn’t the front office’s only move. The NFL transactions report shows that the organization exercised the options on quarterback Carson Wentz, wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, defensive end Brandon Graham, offensive guard Isaac Seumalo, and defensive lineman Malik Jackson.

As Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com writes, these moves were merely “procedural,” and similar to the Ertz move, they’re not all that surprising.

Jordan Dajani and Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports provide some helpful insight on these moves. For instance, Wentz’s option had to be exercised by today. Otherwise, his 2020 salary was set to jump to more than $30MM, and the remaining four years of his extension would be void. Instead, the quarterback will earn a $1.38MM base salary with a cap hit of $18.65MM.

The Jeffery move is a bit surprising, as the team was reportedly looking to move on from the wideout. On the flip side, the organization would have been hit with more than $16MM in dead cap by making the veteran a post-June 1st cut. Therefore, it’s not shocking to see the organization make a procedural move until they find a potential trade partner.

Per Dajani and Kerr, Graham will earn a $1.36MM base salary with a $6.28MM cap hit in 2020. Seumalo’s option bonus means the 2022-24 portion of his contract kicks in, while Jackson’s $2.4MM option bonus prevented his base salary from jumping to $10MM.

Eagles’ Malik Jackson Done For Season

September 10th, 2019 at 12:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Eagles defensive tackle Malik Jackson is expected to miss the season with a Lisfranc injury suffered on Sunday against the Redskins (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport). Jackson is slated to undergo surgery next week and will be placed on injured reserve this week. 

Fortunately, for the Eagles, they have depth on the defensive line outside of Jackson – Tim Jernigan is there to help fill in the interior gap while Vinny Curry and Josh Sweat are on hand to help on the bookends. In the coming days, it seems likely that the Eagles will also add another big man to help.

Jackson joined the Eagles on a five-year, $50MM deal in the offseason, though it’s really more like a two-year deal giving the Eagles flexibility on the remaining three. The pact includes $17MM guaranteed.

Last year, Jackson notched just 32 tackles and 3.5 sacks for the Jaguars, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 85th among 112 interior defenders. However, he was a Pro Bowler as recently as 2017 and enjoyed a solid first season in Jacksonville. Jackson also racked up 14.5 sacks across his final three years in Denver, despite only spending one of those campaigns as a full-time starter.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Cowboys, Jackson

March 25th, 2019 at 8:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering another will-they/won’t-they draft regarding a first-round quarterback investment, the Giants have been setting up meetings with the top prospects. John Mara confirmed he wants the Giants to come away with a quarterback in this year’s first round, and the Giants now have two of the first 17 selections in this draft. But the owner will not force a need pick, despite how glaring the need is.

“I would like to come out of this draft with a quarterback, but here’s the thing: Show me what the grades are,” Mara said, via SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano. “What’s the value?,” Mara said. “If the top quarterbacks are graded towards the bottom of the first round or even the second round, I’m not going to insist that we take one at No. 6 or even No. 17.”

Rumors have emerged about the Giants cooling on this year’s crop of quarterbacks, but that could change after visits and workouts. They are not looking to package their Nos. 6 and 17 picks to move up, either. Dave Gettleman does not believe a non-first-round pick will cut it as Eli Manning‘s successor, so this draft figures to be critical. But the 2020 class is, as of now, viewed as a better potential crop of passers, complicating Big Blue’s scenario.

“The worst thing you can do is try to force the issue and then you end up with a quarterback that isn’t worth taking at the particular spot,” Mara said. “Would we love to have a quarterback coming out of this draft? Yes, but only if we have a conviction about him. And we’re not there yet.”

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • Although Amari Cooper showed immense promise with the Cowboys, he has produced uneven work samples the past two seasons. Nevertheless, the Cowboys are committed and ready to discuss a high-end extension. The new deal for Antonio Brown and one that may be coming for Julio Jones have not fazed Dallas, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). The Cowboys were planning a re-up for the former top-five pick immediately after acquiring him, but after Cooper posted two 180-yard games (prior to three sub-35-yard showings), the negotiations figure to be more interesting.
  • The Cowboys’ glut of extension-eligible young talents likely steered them away from Earl Thomas. Their top bid was not going to contend with the Ravens’, Jerry Jones said (via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, on Twitter). Thomas signed a four-year, $55MM deal. The Cowboys are still looking at safeties.
  • It does not look like Brandon Graham will be moving inside as much in 2019. On passing downs, the Eagles want to deploy Malik Jackson as the interior sub-package pass rusher alongside Fletcher Cox, filling the Michael Bennett role, Howie Roseman said (via Philly.com’s Zach Berman, on Twitter). This adds up, considering Jackson has been an interior defender for most of his career. Having added Jackson and brought back Vinny Curry, the Eagles’ defensive line again profiles as one of the NFL’s deepest position groups.
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