J.C. Jackson on Chargers benching him: I'm confused why I'm being treated like this
The Chargers made cornerback J.C. Jackson inactive for Sunday's win over the Vikings, the latest indication that the team very much regrets the five-year, $82.5 million contract it signed him to last year. Jackson doesn't see what he's doing wrong.
Jackson says he was baffled enough by his benching that he talked to head coach Brandon Staley about it, but that he still doesn't know why the coaching staff is so down on him.
"I don't know, what else do they expect me to do?" Jackson told NFL.com. "I told coach what else do you expect me to do? I've been doing everything. I came back from my injury pretty fast. I've been putting in extra work after practice, even in meeting rooms. The DBs every Friday we all meet to do extra film and being a good teammate, so I don't know what it is. I’m still kind of confused and still don't have answers to why I'm getting treated like this."
The obvious answer is that Jackson has played poorly for the Chargers, but he doesn't see it that way.
"I know what I can do," Jackson said. "I know that I can help the team so it kind of frustrates me that I'm not starting and that coach has me sitting out, and I'm one of the best players on the team. I'm one of the best [defensive backs] that we have."
Jackson suffered a torn patellar tendon last season and said he's not all the way back from it, but he's close enough that he thinks he should be playing.
"That's exactly what it is, I'm not 100 percent," he said. "I know that the doctors know that. I'm not 100 percent so I'm doing my best. We're giving the team what they want. I'm doing my best and I don't know what they expect me to do."
The reality is, even before Jackson's injury last season, he was a major disappointment who hasn't looked like the same player he was as a Pro Bowler with the Patriots in 2021. Whatever is going on with Jackson, the Chargers have clearly lost confidence in him. The bad news for the team is, he has the Chargers' highest salary cap number for 2024, and his $12 million base salary is guaranteed. They're stuck with him, so they'd better hope he can figure out how to be the player they thought they were getting when they signed him.
