The moment you saw this hit that Kareem Jackson smacked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs with on Sunday night, you had to know that more discipline was coming. If not, you should have. Though there was shockingly no flag thrown on the play, Jackson clearly led with his helmet and hit Dobbs flush.
That play came on the first possession of the game and Jackson was playing for the first time since being suspended for two games. That suspension was originally four games and was cut to two after an appeal.
On Monday, that discipline came as the league once again issued a four-game suspension to the veteran safety, who is planning to appeal the decision.
Source: Broncos’ DB Kareem Jackson is appealing the four-game suspension handed down today, just as he did the previous one that subsequently was reduced to two games by hearing officer Derrick Brooks, jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 20, 2023
Broncos fans are not going to like this ruling where a player is being penalized for making a tackle in a contact sport, but there is also no place in today's game for that style of hitting and whether you like it or not, it's an illegal hit.
Because of the previous suspension, Jackson may not see a reduction or as much of a reduction this time. In addition, P.J. Locke also missed the game against the Vikings on Sunday night with an ankle injury.
The safety position has been a shaky one all season for this team and it is absolutely time to add another option at this spot. The Broncos are now 5-5 and are right back in the playoff race so the likes of Delarrin Turner-Yell and a hobbled Locke probably aren't going to cut it.
In-House options
The Broncos have a couple of options already on the roster in Devon Key and JL Skinner.
Key is currently on the Broncos' practice squad. After going undrafted out of Western Kentucky in 2021, he is already playing on his third team. He has never played in a regular season game.
Skinner was selected in the sixth round of this year's draft out of Boise State and he showed some flashes in training camp and preseason games. But the team has not been confident in his abilities to play in a game yet this season as he has been a healthy scratch in all 10 games.
Skinner probably isn't ready and Key is just not the best choice. Because of this, the team should look outside the organization to see what they can find.
Lamarcus Joyner
Lamarcus Joyner will turn 33 years old next week so he is past his prime by NFL standards, but he also has the experience and no doubt still plenty of athletic ability to join a team at this stage of a season and be ready to contribute.
Joyner was a second-round pick in 2014 and most recently played for the New York Jets just last season. So long as he has kept himself in playing shape, it wouldn't hurt the Broncos at all to bring him in for an individual workout.
Joyner has 478 career tackles, seven interceptions and 39 pass breakups. He played in 14 games last year for the Jets and could certainly add something to a Denver secondary that lacks experience with Jackson out.
The Broncos could bring him along and slowly work him into the rotation but as the year progresses, he could become a dependable option for the team based on his years of service in the league, which includes 110 games played.
Landon Collins
Another veteran who is currently out of the league, Landon Collins was a second-round pick in 2015 and has an even more impressive background than Joyner.
At one time considered one of the best safeties in the league, Collins made the Pro Bowl every year from 2016-18. In exactly 100 career games, he has 691 total tackles, 12 interceptions and 41 pass breakups.
Collins was drafted by the New York Giants and played there for four seasons before joining Washington as a free agent in 2019. He spent three seasons there before coming back to the Giants in 2022.
He is still just 29 years old and could be quite capable of joining the Broncos and adding an experienced, hard-hitting safety to the mix.
He is a name for the team to consider in the absence of Jackson.
Ronnie Harrison
The name Ronnie Harrison is one I have mentioned for the Broncos to consider already this season and he still sits on the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts, where the Broncos could sign him off of immediately if they so chose.
Harrison was selected in the third round of the 2018 draft out of Alabama and he has played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and Colts. At 26 years old, he should still have plenty to offer.
Harrison has played in 39 career games and has 141 tackles to go with four interceptions and 19 pass breakups. He is the youngest player on this list and has also played in enough games to warrant some consideration.
All of these players are better than not making any change at all and they would all cost the Broncos a drop in the bucket to make it happen. In addition, if the team were to sign one of these players and they performed well enough, it might help convince the team to move on from Jackson entirely.