Pittsburgh Steelers CB Donte Jackson has eased any concerns fans had about how they acquired him. They sent WR Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for him and never filled that hole in the receiving corps.
But Jackson is proving worth it so far for the hole he plugged in the secondary. The Steelers struggled to find consistent play at cornerback last year, especially prior to Joey Porter Jr. starting full-time. While he didn’t have a flawless Steelers debut, Jackson showed what this defense looks like with two alphas at cornerback.
In addition to two tackles, Donte Jackson recorded two passed defensed and one an interception in his Steelers debut. The other defensed pass should have been an interception too, but he couldn’t finish the play. But he is confident in his play and what he can show now that he is with a quality defense.
“I always pictured myself being an impact player on this defense”, Jackson said, via the Steelers’ website. “Stick me on the field with a bunch of great players and I’m always going to step up. I’m going to work my way to the top the best I can. And I know what type of player I am. I know what type of opportunity I have”.
A 2018 second-round pick out of LSU, Donte Jackson still has life in his 28-year-old legs. He had a down year last season, playing following a major injury, but he looks good now. During his first five NFL seasons, he managed 14 interceptions and 41 passes defensed.
And Jackosn played on losing teams every year he was with the Panthers. His win with the Steelers in Week 1 is a comparative rarity, as is the level of talent he is playing with. To play in a secondary with Minkah Fitzpatrick, Porter, and DeShon Elliott is new for him. And that’s not to mention the front seven, which has some pretty decent players, too.
The Steelers identified the defensive backfield this offseason as a target area for improvement. They turned over most of the room, especially at cornerback, with only two returning starters. That includes Porter, of course, who is only in his second season. They added Elliott in free agency, but Jackson was the “splash” move.
“I feel like we’re a very talented secondary”, Porter said. “When there’s matchups, we can spread around and guard guys. [Donte Jackson] can cover anybody on the field and I feel like I can do the same thing, so that’s how we go”.
Despite their confidence in Jackson, the Steelers still had Porter shadow Drake London in Week 1. That won’t necessarily be a weekly thing, though, as Porter was a much better size matchup. If they face an opponent with a smaller top receiver, Jackson and Porter might just play sides.
