Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The obvious argument for acquiring the veteran cornerback is the Titans could use all the secondary help they can get.
As we hinted at earlier, Tennessee has one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL, currently tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the third-most passing yards allowed per game (287.6).
Another argument that can certainly be made is that the Titans’ defense may be better suited for Jackson’s skill set.
The main reason why the Commanders cornerback wants out of Washington is that he feels he’s a better fit in a man-dominant scheme like the one the Titans have, as opposed to the zone-heavy scheme he’s currently in.
So long William Jackson. 👋 pic.twitter.com/L0g039Nwf9
— Zac (@DCzWall) October 13, 2022
During his time in Cincinnati, he primarily played in a man-heavy scheme, earning an overall grade of at least 71 in three of his last four seasons as a Bengal, according to Pro Football Focus (2017, 2018, 2020).
In total, the former Bengal finished his Cincinnati tenure with 150 tackles, 41 passes defended, and three interceptions in 59 games.
Any team that acquires Jackson is undoubtedly taking a gamble in the hopes that he will immediately revert to the success he had back in Cincinnati.
Should the Titans be that team to make this type of move, they would only be on the hook for approximately $3.8 million against their salary cap for the remainder of the 2022 season, per Spotrac.
The Houston native also has a contract out after this year in case the team that trades for him wants to move on in 2023. Jackson has a base salary of $9.25 million next year, but it is not guaranteed.
You’d also have to imagine that the eventual trade compensation to acquire Jackson’s talents will be relatively reasonable, partly because of his price tag. He can probably be had for something equivalent to a mid-round pick
The veteran cornerback’s addition would also allow the Titans to move the likes of Caleb Farley and Terrance Mitchell — both of whom are struggling and becoming a liability on the backend — down the depth chart.
This move would give the Titans some much-needed boundary depth, and it would allow them to move Roger McCreary inside on sub-packages more often as long as Elijah Molden is out.
If Tennessee gets the idea that Molden will continue to be out for an extended period of time, it becomes especially important to get another capable body in the room.
Such a scenario would create a formidable trio consisting of Fulton and Jackson on the outside, while McCreary holds down the nickel spot.
If the Titans feel strongly about being able to get Jackson back to producing like his Bengals years, then by all means they should be on board with this type of move.
