Player: CB Donte Jackson
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: While not flawless, veteran CB Donte Jackson has put together two solid days of practice. Perhaps it provides some assurance for those who doubted him as the Steelers’ choice to start with Joey Porter Jr. There is still a long way to go, and obviously, the games are what matters. But the early days of training camp are where we are, and where we are is good for Jackson.
The Steelers gave up a starting former Pro Bowl wide receiver to get Donte Jackson. While some claim they traded Diontae Johnson to get rid of him, either way, they got a player they coveted. The team scouted him heavily coming out of college, tried to sign him as a free agent in 2022, and then tried to trade for him last year.
They finally landed him in March after trading Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for him. And now Donte Jackson is establishing himself as that complementary cornerback to their rising youngster, Joey Porter Jr.
We didn’t get to see him in OTAs and minicamp since those practices are closed to the public. But we have now seen him through two training camp practices, and he looks at least as advertised. Obviously, Jackson has started for years in the NFL. He has to have some talent. He certainly has speed, and he can make some plays.
He even made some of those plays against WR George Pickens, having a good battle with him so far. Last year, it was Pickens and Porter going at it, but Jackson is getting involved now, as he hoped to.
Jackson lacks the ideal height of a typical starting outside cornerback, but he has the skills to mitigate those issues. Sometimes, they come back to bite him when he gambles. I’m sure we will see some of that before long, and he will have frustrating moments in actual games.
But for now, what we are seeing out of Jackson is the credible starter the Steelers needed at the position. They didn’t have that last year with Patrick Peterson, which is why they cut him after one year. Can Jackson be a long-term answer? This is where he wants to be, but he has to make the Steelers want him beyond this season.
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.
