Chargers’ Pro Bowl snub is officially a free-agent steal, piece of future

The Los Angeles Chargers rostered a handful of Pro Bowlers this year at the unveiling of the initial honors.

One of the Chargers’ snubs, though, is quietly one of the biggest stories of the year.

This has been a consistent theme for Donte Jackson since the Chargers signed him in free agency last offseason.

Jackson, a 30-year-old free agent and former second-round pick who came over on a ho-hum two-year deal worth $13 million after one up-and-down season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is now one of the biggest Pro Bowl snubs of the year.

A Donte Jackson tweet https://t.co/gbYvqY2jIj
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) December 16, 2025

As a refresher, the Chargers’ list of Pro Bowlers this year:

Justin Herbert
Derwin James, Jr.
Tuli Tuipulotu
Cameron Dicker
Joe Alt

Jackson? Merely an “alternate,” which, as of this writing, still classifies as a snub.

The veteran cornerback has more than earned that classification. He’s sitting on a 76.3 PFF grade this year, putting him 11th out of 112 cornerbacks.

According to one set of advanced metrics, Jackson has been targeted 45 times over 15 games…and let up just 19 catches (42.2 percent) with three scores.

And beyond the metrics, Jackson has arrived as effectively the No. 1 and played into that role. This has allowed Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to rely less on former fifth-rounders Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart as necessary.

Alright that's it. I've been hearing many snubs "Nahshon Wright this" "Derrick Brown that" "Jalen Carter and Joe Alt shouldn't be on here" "Jalen Ramsey existing in the pro bowl this". Yet I'm hearing no one talk about of how bad Donte Jackson got snubbed it's very disappointing pic.twitter.com/8lGQCylluQ
— Champ (@champ_tova) December 24, 2025

Jackson might already be 30 years old. But it’s clear by now that the Chargers got one heck of a steal in free agency, and it wouldn't necessarily be a shock to see them reward him on the contract front this upcoming offseason.

As an aside, it’s more proof to the idea that players just sort of pan out with Minter. Even if Jackson starts to fade back on the snap count front while the Chargers work in younger players more and more in the coming years, it’s clear that if Jackson wants to stay in town, the team will have a place for him.

If Jackson keeps this up, too, he might just avoid the “alternate’ tag on his resume, too.

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