The Seattle Seahawks traded cornerback Michael Jackson to the Carolina Panthers on Thursday, sending him from a team with a crowded cornerback position to one with a clear need at the spot.
In exchange, the Seahawks received rookie linebacker Michael Barrett, a seventh-round draft pick who previously played under Seattle’s current coach, Mike Macdonald, when he was the defensive coordinator at Michigan.
Jackson, who started every game for the Seahawks in 2022, saw his playing time decrease after the team drafted Devon Witherspoon at No. 5 in the 2023 NFL Draft. Witherspoon now joins Riq Woolen as the starting cornerbacks for Seattle. Woolen and Witherspoon were both Pro Bowl selections in their rookie years.
In contrast, the Panthers’ depth chart lists Jaycee Horn and Dane Jackson as their starting cornerbacks. Horn, the eighth pick in the 2021 draft, has struggled with injuries, appearing in only 22 games over three seasons. Jackson, who joined the Panthers as a free agent, started 28 games in four years with the Buffalo Bills but is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained during training camp, which is expected to keep him out at the start of the regular season.
The Panthers’ backup options, D’Shawn Jamison and Dicaprio Bootle, have limited experience, with just 107 and 221 defensive snaps, respectively, in their NFL careers.
Jackson had re-signed with the Seahawks on April 8 after they placed an original-round tender on him as a restricted free agent. This move ensured that he would not become an unrestricted free agent and secured him a salary of $3.039 million for the 2024 season if he re-signed with Seattle.
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