Drake

Jackson

Jackson hasn’t played since suffering a patellar tendon injury with the 49ers in 2023. Though the Commanders’ season is over, Jackson will get the opportunity to get some reps on tape before he heads into free agency in the spring. Jackson has six sacks in 23 career games.

Rodriguez was a game-time decision with his groin injury, and the Commanders have decided to not have the tailback go after testing the injury in pre-game. Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols will get the touches with Rodriguez unavailable.

The Commanders now get a 21-day window to observe Jackson in practice before officially having him join the active roster. The 24-year-old defensive end has suffered two season-ending knee injuries. The most recent one, which he is currently recovering from, was a torn patellar tendon suffered in 2023. The former second-round pick could boost the Commanders’ pass rush if his surgically repaired knee is good to go.

Jackson was waived with a failed injury designation earlier this offseason after a knee injury prematurely ended his 2023 campaign and kept him out for all of 2024. Now cleared for a return, the former second-round pick has totaled six sacks in 23 career games, but could provide help to a team in need of bolstering its pass rush.

The transaction is, sadly, tagged with a failed physical designation. Jackson suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first half of the 2023 season, recovered in time for training camp in 2024, but agonizingly suffered another knee injury in July, which knocked him out for the entire season. Another team will undoubtedly give the 2022 second-round pick a chance to make their team if he can pass a physical this summer. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “Jackson is still rehabbing a knee injury but is expected to be cleared by the start of training camp.” In 23 career games, Jackson tallied six NFL sacks and 30 quarterback pressures.

Jackson suffered a season-ending knee injury for the second time in as many seasons, this time before the 2024 season even started. Jackson flashed at times in his first two NFL seasons but recurring knee injuries coupled with poor rookie season conditioning will ultimately limit him to just 23 games played in three years.

Jackson played in just eight games last season and recorded three sacks — all of which came in Week 1 against the Steelers. The former second-round pick was placed on injured reserve following knee surgery in mid-November. In 23 career games, Jackson has totaled 21 tackles and six sacks, along with five TFLs. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Jackson is out through the duration of training camp “at a minimum,” suggesting his absence could stretch into the regular season. This is presumably the same knee injury that ended Jackson’s campaign last year.

A blue-chip recruit, Jackson (6’3/254) produced right out of the gate with 46 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, and three PBUs while earning Freshman All-American recognition. He dropped down to 240 pounds as a sophomore in order to fit the new defensive scheme and still maintained his second-team All-Pac 12 level of play. Jackson earned his third-consecutive All-Pac 12 nod last year while beefing back up to the 255-pound range, leading a flawed USC defense with 8.0 TFLs and posting a career-best 87.7 PFF pass-rush grade. Though he didn’t run the 40-yard dash, his jumping and agility tests were all very good and his burst around the edge is evident on tape. He plays off his speed advantage well by varying the tempo of his rush while deploying hesitation, hand swat, and dip maneuvers to free himself from blockers and go on the hunt. He has ideal length with his 34” arms, but he lacks the power to bullrush many NFL tackles and can lose gap integrity in the run game when he overpursues. Jackson has the motor and requisite athleticism to excel at the NFL level if he can improve his play strength.

Jackson (6'4"/265) was already a well-built and athletic prospect, but it sounds like he wanted to step his game up. The former Trojan said during his media interview that he’s gained 15lbs during the preparation for the combine. He mentioned that he needed to increase his weight in order to compete against players at the NFL and he focused on his body as he prepares for the draft. He continued to say with this added weight he has not lost a step or his explosiveness. The linebacker frequently lined up as an edge rusher and finished with totaled 69 quarterback pressures and 13 sacks at the college level.

Jackson (6'4/250) announced on Saturday his plans to declare for the NFL Draft, after a 2021 season in which he totaled a career-high six sacks while posting 26 quarterback pressures and 29 tackles according to Pro Football Focus. Jackson has totaled 69 quarterback pressures and 13 career sacks per PFF.com, and was one of the highest-graded pass rushers of the 2021 season, sporting a pass rush grade of 87.7 on the year. Jackson spent most of the season as an EDGE rusher, lining up along the defensive line on 399 of his snaps.