The New York Giants saw another one of their free agents sign with the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles on March 13 — although this one won’t sting quite as much as running back Saquon Barkley a year ago.
“Breaking: Former Giants CB Adoree’ Jackson is signing with the Eagles, I’m told,” FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Thursday of week one of NFL free agency. “Jackson has started 82 career games and adds experience and depth to Philadelphia’s secondary.”
“Howie Roseman and the Eagles didn’t take long to find another proven veteran corner,” Schultz added in a follow-up post. “After Darius Slay signed with the [Pittsburgh] Steelers, Philly stays in the NFC East to land Adoree’ Jackson — who had a multitude of other teams in the mix.”
Jackson only started 5 games for the Giants in 2024, appearing in 14, but he was a full-time NYG starter as recently 2021 through 2023.
Before joining the Giants, the former first-round talent began his career with the Tennessee Titans, riding out his rookie contract there from 2017 through 2020.
Giants Won’t Miss Adoree’ Jackson… Unless He’s Successful With Eagles
For the most part, Jackson frustrated Big Blue fans after inking a $39 million deal in 2021.
He missed games with nagging injuries often throughout his time in New York and only contributed 2 interceptions and 28 pass defenses over his four-year tenure (including 2024). Although the veteran cornerback did force and recover 3 fumbles.
With that in mind, Giants nation is unlikely to miss Jackson — unless he helps Philadelphia win another division title and Super Bowl, of course.
Jackson to the Eagles is more reminiscent of the James Bradberry pickup than Barkley. Most NYG fans probably remembered Bradberry more fondly than Jackson when he signed in Philly after being released, but he was an aging cornerback whose best football appeared to already be behind him.
Bradberry had a couple of decent years with the Eagles from 2022 through 2023, but he was eventually released this offseason after missing the entire Super Bowl run and 2024 campaign with injury.
Jackson — who put together a decent bounce back season for the Giants in 2024 in more of a rotational role — will provide depth in the Eagles secondary, but his starting days could be over.
Philadelphia’s CB core is headlined by premier 2024 draft picks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Jackson would presumably fit in somewhere behind those two and could potentially compete for the slot corner job with the Eagles.
Giants Secondary Already Moved on From Adoree’ Jackson
On the Giants side of the equation, Big Blue no longer needed Jackson after bringing in free agent signing Paulson Adebo.
That move gives them a well-rounded group that features former first-round pick Deonte Banks, slot specialist Dru Phillips, ex-draft picks Cor’Dale Flott and Tre Hawkins and the aforementioned Adebo taking over as the new CB1.
Re-signing Jackson would not have served much purpose, outside of injury depth at training camp.
Needless to say, this departure is not a major loss for the G-Men. You’d always prefer that your free agents don’t land with division rivals, but in a league like the NFL it tends to happen more often than not.
In this case, Giants fans best bet is to embrace this move and hope Jackson gets burned in coverage when the two franchises face off head-to-head twice next season, as they always do.
