Donte Jackson went from Carolina Panthers’ afterthought, someone likely about to be released, to Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting corner. The player the team got back as part of the Diontae Johnson trade, Jackson’s time in Carolina wasn’t well-received. But the Steelers think a change in scenery will serve him well. ESPN and Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor says Pittsburgh’s coaching staff is a big believer in their top two corners.
“In some conversations I’ve had with people on the Steelers’ staff, they said this is a guy who is really underrated,” Pryor told Pro Football Network’s Dallas Robinson. “He’s really flown under the radar. He’s been hampered by some injuries. But they think he can step in. And if he’s healthy, be a good pairing opposite Joey Porter Jr.”
Donte Jackson’s most notable injury came in 2022, tearing his Achilles nine games into the season. A serious injury for the position and someone with Jackson’s speed, he returned for the start of the 2023 season and didn’t look worse for wear, flashing the 4.32 wheels he showed at the NFL Combine in 2018.
Even healthy, Jackson is far from a top corner. Pittsburgh is counting on Joey Porter Jr. to continue as the team’s top cornerback. By the end of his rookie season, Porter was shadowing top receivers, something the Steelers haven’t done since Ike Taylor’s prime. That will allow Jackson to avoid facing superstar wideouts and put him in a better position to succeed.
Though the Steelers likely had limited trading partners, Donte Jackson is a curious fit on paper in Pittsburgh’s secondary. They’ve gravitated towards big and long cornerbacks. The rest of the room consists of Cory Trice Jr., Darius Rush, rookie Ryan Watts, and Porter, all four well above six feet with close to 33-inch arms or longer. Jackson’s build goes in the other direction, 5-10, 180 pounds, with 29.5-inch arms. But Pittsburgh will bank on his speed and experience to get them through 2024 while probably looking for his replacement next offseason, be it an internal candidate or another external name.
