Motown tells Jackson to beat it, ships him to the Patriots

The Patriots made a trade with Detroit for former Dallas Cowboys fifth round Draft pick  Michael Jackson for a conditional 2022 draft pick. No, I am not talking about the Motown legendary singer.

So this will be Jackson's third team going into his second year. Jackson spent his cowboys career on the practice squad before Matt Patricia signed him and gave him a game to prove himself. So why did the Patriots want his rights?

Jackson is a 6'1" 210 pounds defensive back who ran a 4.45. He can contribute on special teams. Jackson is a cover excelled in the cover three and as a press man corner. 

The Patriots lost both Nate Ebner and Patrick chung and are going to need to replace him. There was talk among scouts and analysts that Jackson could be converted to safety before the draft. The Patriots have a stacked secondary, so replacing those two players are the only reason it would make sense to sign him.

Here's what Bleacher Reports' Matt Miller wrote, "Jackson looks the part with his excellent size and 4.45 speed, but his lack of coverage instincts and awareness in-phase are poor enough that teams could decide he's either no more than a depth cornerback or a potential target for a position change to safety. He's worth a flier since height and speed can't be coached."

Marino of the draft network wrote, "Jackson earned his path to a starting role for Miami. After two seasons in spot duty and special teams work, Jackson became a starter as a junior and performed admirably on a great defensive unit for two seasons. Jackson’s best fit at the next level comes as an outside corner that plays primarily in press and zone coverage. His modest foot speed and fluidity creates some challenges in off man coverage. A physical defender, Jackson should excel defending the run and is a reliable tackler. Jackson has the upside to start in the right role in time and should be a quality special teams contributor as he develops."

Jackson was predicted to go in the mid rounds, between the 3rd and fifth and fell to Dallas in the fifth. Reports are that Detroit was going to cut the young defensive back but that the Patriots didn't think they would be able to sign him. Being how low of a risk this is, the Patriots can do nothing but benefit from this. Even if he's just a camp body.