Broncos Player Profile: Kareem Jackson | S
Entering the offseason, there was a distinct possibility the Denver Broncos would let veteran safety Kareem Jackson go due to 2021 being an option. With new general manager George Paton in town, the Broncos did just that, declining Jackson's option and rendering him a free agent
However, it was done with the possibility of re-signing Jackson if he was unable to find a demand for his on the market that he'd hoped. Well, the market wasn’t as favorable as Jackson and his agents thought, leading him to return to Denver at a reduced cost of $5 million.
Paton played hardball and won with his first big maneuver as the man in charge. However, the Broncos were fortunate to get Jackson back in the fold because he works so well next to Justin Simmons with their complementary skill-sets.
Jackson helps Simmons have a bit more freedom in coverage, but also gives Vic Fangio a versatile weapon in coverage because he can line up all over. While Jackson played over 600 snaps as a two-high safety, he also saw 200-plus down in the box and over 150 as a nickel cornerback.
That gave Denver a lot of ways to attack opposing offenses. It did hurt not having reliable corners playing around the talented safety tandem, but Denver has made multiple moves to try and rectify that.
Proven guys like Kyle Fuller, Ronald Darby, and even the talented rookie first-round Patrick Surtain III, should make Jackson be a lot more effective as a player and put together a good year. Jackson has to be wary of putting his own teammates in danger with some of the big hits he dishes out indiscriminately.
Bottom line, this is likely Jackson’s last year in Denver as even after bringing him back, the team drafted two potential replacements in Caden Sterns and Jamar Johnson.
Be sure to check out the video above for a deep-dive on Jackson's 2021 outlook.
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