In Denver's 19-17 win over the Packers, safety Kareem Jackson was penalized for a helmet-to-helmet hit... again. He was ejected... again. He will likely have to pay a hefty fine... again. Jackson, now 35, is in the final years of his career and has now become the poster boy for helmet-to-helmet flags in the NFL. Jackson has been fined four times and should be expecting a fifth in the coming days. As a matter of fact, the NFL has apparently suspended him without pay for the next four games.
The safety does not figure into the Broncos' future plans, is blocking younger players who deserve a chance to prove themselves to the new regime, and is now a walking liability, as he has now caused the team the finish a game short a safety twice. The time has come for the Broncos to move on from Kareem Jackson, and here are three reasons why.
1) The Denver Broncos are Rebuilding
Arguably the main reason that the Broncos should move on from Jackson is that the veteran is now 35, is again in the final year of his contract, and is very likely not in any future plans for Denver. Behind Jackson sit three young safeties who could factor into Denver's plans for 2024 and beyond. Most notable is PJ Locke, 26, who had a game-sealing interception in week seven to give the Broncos their second win of the year. Locke has been a Bronco since 2020 and has been their third safety behind Jackson and Justin Simmons.
After Locke, the Broncos have two recent draft picks, 2022 selection Delarrin Turner-Yell and 2023 selection JL Skinner. Both safeties have had minimal playing time, if any, as they both started pretty low on the depth chart behind Simmons, Jackson, Locke, and now-injured starter Caden Stearns. Both safeties were selected later in their respective drafts, and Skinner has been inactive for the majority of the Broncos' games this year. Moving on from Jackson would allow the Broncos to give these two larger roles, and truly see what they have in store going forward at the safety position, especially as Justin Simmons firmly sits in trade rumors.
2) Consistent, Costly Penalties
If there is one thing that has defined Jackson's 2023, it has been his multiple penalties for unnecessary roughness, his now five fines, and two ejections. Jackson's first ejection turned their week two game against Washington on its head, leading to a three-possession blown lead and the Broncos falling to 0-2 at home to start their year.
Before his week two hit, Jackson laid a nasty hit on Las Vegas wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, resulting in Meyers remaining down for some time, a penalty, and a subsequent fine from the league. In total, Jackson has been fined four times by the NFL for his hits, and will likely see his fifth this week. Jackson could also be suspended by the league, considering he has now been flagged four times and ejected twice for dangerous hits on receivers.
Jackson's consistent issues are a problem for the Broncos for a number of reasons. First, his hits are putting other players in harm's way and creating a dangerous environment for players. Jackson has a reputation as a hard hitter, but not a dirty one. However, five different instances in the young season point to Jackson having an issue with controlling his hits. As the season progresses, Jackson has been liable for not only hurting the Broncos by being ejected and costing them large chunks of penalty yards but also potentially injuring other players.
Jackson's hits have laid out Logan Thomas and Jakobi Meyers and required them medical attention after the hit. Jackson's play this year has ben dangerous and reckless and could be cause for the Broncos to move on.
3) No Future Role in Denver
The final reason that the Broncos need to move on from Kareem Jackson rests on the fact that the Broncos are entering a full-on rebuild, which will feature a new defensive system, and will need to get younger than the 35-year-old defensive back. Jackson has been in Denver for five years now, and while he has had his moments and has played well over his tenure, Jackson's play has diminished along with his speed and is blocking multiple safeties from larger roles in Denver.
Jackson is on another one-year deal in Denver, and is likely on his way out the door after 2023, considering Sean Payton has already begun a roster overhaul, and will likely do so again this spring.
Jackson's NFL career is in its final years, and his time in Denver should be in its final. The safety has struggled in coverage the last few years, a lot of which has been due to an inability to close on balls in the air, and has been burned in man-to-man coverage. Jackson still closes on the ball carrier well and is able to lay a strong hit, but he has shown no ability in 2023 to be able to control his hits. His hits have injured other players, cost the Broncos penalty yards, and cost himself at least two halves of football so far. The time on Kareem Jackson's tenure in Denver has run its course, and it is time for the Broncos to move on.