Miles
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- Mar 18, 2019
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The Broncos gained more flexibility in their use of Jackson after agreeing to terms with former Chicago Bears cornerback Bryce Callahan on Friday. In three-cornerback sub packages, Callahan can work in the slot, leaving Jackson to handle work on the outside.
Like Chris Harris Jr., Callahan can be used in two-cornerback sets, and the Broncos could use Callahan's arrival to create opportunities for Jackson to work as a safety -- both in the base defense or in some three-safety alignments.
“[Jackson] gives us a lot of options," Head Coach Vic Fangio said. "Just from week to week we might be able to line him up where we feel he best fits to defend the team we’re playing. He’s smart enough to learn all the different positions. He’s proven it in games and on tape that he can execute the positions, not just know what do to do, but play them competitively and at a high level.
"It’s a big advantage and it helps when you’re looking at other players that you have guys that can move around."
Jackson's aggressiveness against the run and willingness to attack and not let others get tackles also pairs well with Harris, who is one of the league's most active cornerbacks in rushing containment.
"Throughout my career, I’ve just always been that type of guy -- [to] kind of get down in the line and be physical and tackle," Jackson said.
That makes him perfect for Fangio's defense. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Fangio called tackling a "non-negotiable" attribute in his evaluations of prospective Broncos. Jackson finished last year with 34 stops -- tackles that result in a "loss" for the opposing offense -- according to Pro Football Focus.
Jackson can do it all, and as he enters his 10th season, he's doing it better than he ever has before. That's why Fangio and President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway coveted him, and why he makes Denver's defense better just by walking into the building.