The Giants have a number of key free agent decisions to make with Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney set to hit the open market. The same is also true of cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, who recently doubled down on his desire to remain in New York on a new deal.
“The Giants are going to look for another corner and another team is going to look for a corner, which is me,” Jackson told Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “I want to be there, but this is our break period… If I come back, it’s all good. If I don’t, is it going to hurt? It will, but I know it’s a business.”
That stance mirrors what he said in December knowing he was on the verge of free agency for the second time in his career. In the first instance, Jackson landed a three-year, $39M deal after his run with the Titans. He has served as a full-time starter during his Giants stint, racking up 23 pass deflections and a pair of interceptions along the way. Jackson earned solid PFF grades in his first two Giants campaigns, but things took a turn for the worse in 2023.
The former first-rounder began the season in the slot to accommodate rookie Tre Hawkins. The latter was later benched, though, allowing Jackson to return to his familiar perimeter duties. He drew a PFF coverage grade of just 45.9, by far the lowest of his career. Jackson allowed a passer rating of 95.5 (his second-highest mark) and a pair of touchdowns as the nearest defender in 2023.
As a result, it would come as little surprise if the Giants looked elsewhere via free agency or the draft to add at the cornerback spot. New York invested a first-round pick in last year’s draft by adding Deonte Banks, but a starting-caliber replacement will be needed if Jackson does indeed depart. The 28-year-old made it clear being a member of a contender will be a top priority while noting his confidence that the Giants could fit the bill.
“I want to win a Super Bowl, and I know the Giants are capable of winning because we saw [in 2022] that it was a possibility,” Jackson said. “It boils down to the pieces and the staff being on the same page and doing the right thing to help us get there.”
The Giants made a surprise run to the divisional round of the postseason that year, but the team took a major step back in 2023. Whether or not Jackson will be a part of New York’s efforts to rebound from a disappointing campaign will be worth watching closely in the build-up to free agency.
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