The Los Angeles Chargers are getting a boost to their secondary as they look to stifle the offensive juggernaut in the Chiefs on “Thursday Night Football.” Cornerback J.C. Jackson will, in fact, make his debut in the Week 2 opener, with the club officially ruling him active. This comes after the NFL Network reported that the corner moved well pregame and was in line to play. Jackson was considered a true game-time decision for this contest and was officially listed as questionable.
He also seemed to confirm his status on social media, posting “Y’all know what time it is!!” on his Instagram story.
Jackson did not play in the season opener against the Raiders after undergoing an ankle procedure in August. Earlier in the day, the NFL Network reported that the surgery was done to remove an extra bone in Jackson’s ankle that he was born with. It was causing pain and inflammation, so they decided to opt for an arthroscopic procedure to get rid of it.
Of course, given that Jackson hasn’t played or practiced much since the summer, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of workload he receives as he makes his Chargers debut. When fully healthy, the 26-year-old is expected to be Los Angeles’ No. 1 corner and is being paid accordingly after inking a five-year, $82.5 million contract to join the team this offseason.
Jackson originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Maryland and signed on with the New England Patriots, where he developed into one of the better playmaking cornerbacks in the league. He’s coming off a second-team All-Pro season in 2021, where he led the NFL with 23 pass breakups to go along with eight interceptions. In the four seasons he spent in Foxborough, Jackson totaled 25 interceptions and 53 pass breakups while also helping the club win Super Bowl LIII during his rookie season.
