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Underrated Panthers veteran says he wants to stay in Carolina

Unheralded Mike Jackson wants to remain a Panther.
Zach Roberts|
Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) catches the ball as Carolina Panthers cornerback Michael Jackson (2) defends in overtime at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) catches the ball as Carolina Panthers cornerback Michael Jackson (2) defends in overtime at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

GM Dan Morgan made a forgettable move over the offseason to bring in former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Mike Jackson. Though on different sides of the ball, he did spend time with Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales. The trade was an afterthought, but Jackson was an exceptional addition to an otherwise atrocious defense.

He is a free agent this year, so the future is uncertain. But after a career year in which he outperformed Jaycee Horn in some metrics, he'd like to stay with the team and the coach who took a chance on bringing him in.

Mike Jackson makes free agency plans clear

Mike Jackson ended his season on a high note. While the Panthers ended up giving up the most points in NFL history, he had a clutch interception that provided one of the few stops the Panthers got and needed most in a 44-38 win.

He said after, "I want to be here bad. Just cause [Dave] Canales is the reason why I'm here. He took a chance on me. It's crazy, I'm basically here because I ran into the ball in Seattle. It's funny how things work, God just really took care of me."

Jackson was one of the surprises on the Panthers' defense and one of the only bright spots. Before Horn missed the last two games of the year, he and Jackson had the Panthers' pass defense top 10 in yards allowed. The rest of the defense was historically awful, but the secondary, led by Jackson, did well.

It's unclear what Morgan plans to do, but it would be a surprise if he didn't re-sign him. The fit is clearly there, and Jackson obviously doesn't want to go play anywhere else. It should be pretty cut and dry.

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Zach Roberts
ZACH ROBERTS

Zachary Roberts is a journalist with a wide variety of experience covering basketball, golf, entertainment, video games, music, football, baseball, and hockey. He currently covers Charlotte sports teams and has been featured on Sportskeeda, Yardbarker, MSN, and On SI.

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