The Patriots may be regretting taking a second chance on J.C. Jackson.
The 27-year-old cornerback won’t join the team in Germany for their NFL international game against the Colts this Sunday as there are concerns about his reliability, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The team reportedly made the decision for Jackson to stay home through the Patriots’ bye week in Week 10 and “return in a better place.”
That verdict came after Jackson was late to the team hotel last Saturday, which played a role in why he did not start Sunday’s 20-17 home loss against the Commanders, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick clarified Sunday that Jackson, who played 53 total snaps, was not benched.
Belichick mentioned “consistency in the secondary” when asked about Jackson’s second stint with the Patriots.
“Well, it’s been a transition,” Belichick said Monday. “I think his off-field training and physical health and conditioning has definitely improved. So, he’s done a good job working at that. Just the consistency in the secondary from everybody is something we need to do a better job of.”
Jackson went through something similar with the Chargers on Oct. 5 when they traded him to the Patriots just four games into the season.
The move came just one-plus seasons into the five-year, $82.5 million contract he signed with the Chargers before the 2022 season.
The trade included a 2025 seventh-round pick for a 2025 sixth-round pick from the Patriots.
Jackson reportedly displayed a pattern of behavior that showed a lack of commitment to the Chargers.
The Pro bowl defensive back had been approaching practice and meetings without a “sense of urgency,” sources told ESPN Wednesday, adding that he didn’t respond well to criticism.
After the Chargers benched Jackson in Week 3, he reportedly refused to play the next week when he was made active against the Raiders.
Jackson stayed on the sideline with his shoes untied, citing that he wasn’t warm enough to play, according to the outlet.
It was the last straw for Los Angeles, which traded Jackson to the Patriots four days later.
Chargers general manager Tom Telesco reportedly apologized to the team in a meeting after the trade, and said that signing Jackson was a mistake.
He called it a “swing and a miss” attempt with Jackson.
Jackson appeared in just seven games with the Chargers.
Before leaving for Los Angeles, Jackson spent four seasons with the Patriots, which included a second-team All-Pro selection.
He won a Super Bowl with New England alongside Tom Brady in the 2018-19 season, his rookie season, after going undrafted out of Maryland.
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