The K.C. Chiefs have reportedly expressed interest in free agent cornerback Adoree’ Jackson.
The 25 year-old was drafted in the first round in 2017 by the Tennessee Titans. After a promising first two year to his career, Jackson struggled to stay on the field for the Titans in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and missed nearly all of 2020. Jackson started only two games last season, as a knee injury landed him on injured reserve for much of the season.
Jackson would be a bit of a reclamation project for the Chiefs, but his promising first couple seasons should at least earn him a look. He has a compelling skill set, and especially excels when lined up outside. He has very good pursuit, aggressiveness, and high-end speed as a former USC track star, no less. His speed is especially intriguing given the Raiders’ recent signing of John Brown, one of the fastest receivers in the NFL. It’s no surprise why the Titans drafted him in the first round—just take a look at some of his highlights from ’17 and ’18.
But Jackson’s durability concerns are legitimate. He has played in 14 games in the past two seasons. If the Chiefs are serious about him, they’ll be taking on substantial risk, albeit at a (presumably) pretty low price. It’s just a matter of if the Chiefs want to opt to play that risk/reward game, and are comfortable not knowing exactly how much Jackson could bring to the table over the course of a full season.
Adoree’ Jackson has drawn interest from numerous teams, including the K.C. Chiefs.
However, the potential reward here seems high. Jackson is only 25, and if he could turn in a full season of healthy play, it would be a truly game-changing difference. Jackson would not only add depth; he’d be a solid #2 corner. This, of course, is all depends on the perhaps unlikely chance that Jackson can stay healthy.
Jackson is already scheduled to visit with the Giants and Eagles, which probably makes him an outside shot for the Chiefs. It makes sense that teams want to see him in person, to ask him about his knee, and to get a sense of where is at physically.
Regardless of whether Jackson signs elsewhere, the Chiefs’ interest indicates that they aren’t solely focused on fixing the offensive line. There are plenty of free agents still in play, and the Chiefs’ interest in Jackson shows that cornerback, in addition to offensive line, is a priority.