Don’t forget about Titans CB Chris Jackson

Welcome to Music City Miracles’ Tennessee Titans 2023 Roster Profile! Between now and August, MCM will feature more than two dozen talents. The main goal is to highlight underrated contributors and key rotational players. We’ll throw in the odd superstar or roster-bubble player, but we’re mainly focused on spotlighting the middle of the roster. That’s where key depth helps define a roster’s ceiling.

Today, we’re analyzing cornerback Chris Jackson.

Basic Info

Height: 5-foot-10

Weight: 193

College: Marshall

Entered League: No. 243 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft

Experience: 4

Years with team: 4

Contract Status

“Chris Jackson signed a 1 year, $895,000 contract with the Tennessee Titans, including an average annual salary of $895,000. In 2023, Jackson will earn a base salary of $940,000, while carrying a cap hit of $940,000.” Spotrac

The Good

Jackson has been a value pick for the Titans since entering the league as a seventh-round selection in 2020. Jackson showcased growth throughout his sophomore season in 2021. The former Marshall standout played 386 defensive snaps en route to earning an elite run-stopping grade of 81.9 from Pro Football Focus. Jackson totaled 272 coverage snaps and was credited with allowing just 29 receptions. A versatile player, Jackson also played 125 snaps on special teams.

Opposing quarterbacks saw a passer rating of 101.7 when targeting Jackson in coverage. Jackson was credited with making 32 total tackles, and only missed one tackle in 2022. He also recorded three pass breakups.

The Bad

The 2022 campaign was a lost one for Jackson. Jackson was placed on season-ending IR in September after totaling just 29 snaps. The injury robbed Jackson of an opportunity to build on his strong sophomore showing.

Jackson also struggled as a rookie. He earned a pass-coverage grade of just 31.1 from PFF via 163 coverage snaps. Jackson allowed 25 receptions on 31 targets. This is hardly Jackson’s fault though. The Titans should have never been relying on a small-school seventh-round rookie to play so much. Injury catapulted Jackson into a bigger role. He later showed growth in 2021.

2023 Outlook:

Jackson is back healthy and competing again. He’ll be tasked with earning a 53-man roster spot throughout training camp and the preseason. The Titans have a ton of cornerbacks, so Jackson’s challenge won’t be easy.

Versatility could help Jackson. He’s played both inside and outside throughout his tenure in Tennessee. For example, he logged 206 snaps at slot corner in 2021, and 140 snaps at outside cornerback, via PFF. Jackson may also claim a 53-man roster role via special teams, where he logged 125 snaps as a sophomore.