Player: CB Donte Jackson
Stock Value: Purchased
Reasoning: In sending WR Diontae Johnson packing, the Steelers acquired CB Donte Jackson via trade. He figures to take over the starting spot shared by Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace last season. Undersized but fast, at least for 2024, he is the bookend to Joey Porter Jr. on the other side.
In terms of on-field talent, most observers agree that the Carolina Panthers got the better deal. WR Diontae Johnson is one of the game’s elite route runners whose talents often went underappreciated in Pittsburgh. Many griped at his flaws, but they haven’t seen new CB Donte Jackson’s yet.
Numerous other factors went into the trade that sent Johnson away and brought Jackson here, though, so we’ll end there. They turned one of their top two wide receivers in 2024 into one of their top two cornerbacks. We’ll have to wait and see what comes of it all.
Jackson lacks the ideal size at 5-10, 180 pounds. While many project him to play in the slot, he hasn’t done that very much. Hopefully, the same fans who want Jackson in the slot aren’t the same fans who criticized Patrick Peterson’s out-of-position play.
As of this writing, he brings with him a $10,522,500 cap hit for 2024, but Pittsburgh is likely to amend it. They could sign him to a one-year extension as one possibility. When they traded for Allen Robinson II a year ago, the Rams paid part of his salary and he dropped a future roster bonus in the deal.
One thing you can say about Jackson is that he moves quickly and well. He has good body control, but he doesn’t always know how to use it. He lapses in terms of eye discipline and displays overconfidence when making plays, exposing himself to costly completions.
In his favor is his 14 career interceptions, though he had none last year. He also doesn’t lack for confidence, trusting he’ll prove himself this year to Steelers fans. Jackson missed half of the 2022 season with an Achilles injury. He could potentially look more like himself with a full year out from that ailment.
Either way, he’s now in Pittsburgh after the Steelers showed interest every step along the way. He said Mike Tomlin was “right there” before he was drafted, before he signed his second contract, and even at last year’s trade deadline.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
