The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired CB Donte Jackson this offseason to make plays, and he made the first of training camp. Off a poorly thrown ball by QB Justin Fields, he read the throw and broke coverage to make the interception. While it wasn’t necessarily highlight-reel material athletically, it showed his instincts, which he intends to bring to the defense.
“That’s what I’ve been known for my whole time in this league”, Jackson said, via video from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “That’s what I’ve always been doing, making plays, getting around the ball, covering the best guys. No matter what it takes to help my defense get a winning edge, that’s what I’ve always done”.
A former second-round draft pick out of LSU, Donte Jackson has 14 interceptions in his six-year career. He came up with zero last season, however, in his first year after a major injury. But he forced a fumble and set a career high in tackles for loss.
Although smaller than the average starting cornerback at 5-10, 180 pounds, Jackson embraces every aspect of the position. He is fired up to play for a defense like the Steelers that demands strong tackling and being a complete football player. “That’s the type of stuff I stand for”, he said last month, referring to AFC North-style football.
The Steelers are hoping that Donte Jackson proves to be a strong influence on Joey Porter Jr., their young budding star cornerback. At 6-2 and 193 pounds, Porter is closer to the modern prototype, but he can learn from Jackson’s experience. Porter Sr. may have been a great player (and Steeler), and he even played coverage well with 14 interceptions. But I wouldn’t advise mirroring his backpedal.
In replacing Cameron Sutton, who left in free agency, the Steelers signed Patrick Peterson as a starter. Although they envisioned a diverse role for him, he proved too slow by a step or two on the outside. Recently missing on Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon, they hope Donte Jackson can be a more long-term solution.
And he hopes to be here for the long haul as well. Jackson said during training camp that he wants to play for the Steelers for a long time. That is fitting, considering the Steelers have wanted him for a long time, going back to the 2018 NFL Draft. They also attempted to sign him in 2022 and trade for him last year before finally succeeding.
The 2023 season was the first of Jackson’s career in which he did not intercept at least two passes. He picked off four passes as a rookie and then three a year later, the sort of playmaking the Steelers are looking for. Even Minkah Fitzpatrick blanked in the interception department last season.
While they managed 16 interceptions as a team, nobody had more than two. If Donte Jackson can step in and pick off a few passes and make other impact plays, this could be a lasting partnership, so they both hope.
