Chargers GM Tom Telesco Apologized to Players for 'Swing and Miss' JC Jackson Signing
The Los Angeles Chargers made a flurry of moves in the 2022 offseason to bolster their roster, and on paper, they did just that.
The Chargers were primed for greatness heading into 2022. Not only was their offense supposed to score a ton of points, but their defense was supposed to be the best in the league, led by their home run (at least at the time) signing in 2022, All-Pro cornerback J.C. Jackson.
Jackson was a hot commodity as a free agent then, and the Chargers struck gold, it seemed. However, a year and a half later, Jackson now resides in New England, where he started his career after a disaster tenure in LA.
The Bolts parted ways with Jackson and dealt him to the Patriots on October 5th. A month later, Chargers GM Tom Telesco apologized to the team for the bust of a signing.
Telesco told the group that signing Jackson was a mistake, according to multiple team sources. He apologized for continuing to give Jackson opportunities, despite Jackson routinely showing that he wasn’t as committed as the rest of the team while being one of the Chargers’ highest paid players. Telesco called the move a “swing and a miss.”
No one could've predicted this signing to be a bust the way it was. Jackson was coming off a career year in 2021, where he was named to the Pro Bowl and was named Second-Team All-Pro. He was a success story after going undrafted in 2018.
Jackson's time in LA was a disaster. He played in only a total of seven games after signing a five-year deal worth $82.5 million contract. In those games, he recorded one interception for nine yards, 15 combo tackles, zero tackles for loss, zero QB hits, and allowed a pass rating of 72 compared to his 102.6 rating with the Patriots.
It must've taken a lot for Telesco to admit he made a mistake, but the good thing is he got away from Jackson the minute an opportunity presented itself, and now both sides have moved on.
Nothing is a sure-fire thing, and the 28-year-old didn't work out. Stuff happens, and hopefully, Telesco and his staff learn from their mistake.
