The Chargers benched cornerback J.C. Jackson at halftime of Monday night’s win over the Broncos and head coach Brandon Staley said after the game that Jackson’s performance “wasn’t good enough.”
Staley reviited the decision to bench Jackson during a Tuesday press conference and he said that the team isn’t giving up on a player they signed to a five-year contract as a free agent this offseason. Staley said that it is “fair” to say Jackson has made mental errors, but that he doesn’t think any issues are related to not “fitting in or scheme fit or any of that” and that the team will keep working to get the veteran’s performance where they want it to be.
“We just need to stay patient,” Staley said, via a transcript from the team. “Last night wasn’t up to his standard, or ours. We felt like we had to go in a different direction. We’re going to stay with him, keep coaching him, and see if we can get him comfortable.”
If the Chargers can get Jackson on track and playing well, the early season struggles will fade away. If not, they’ll have to do a lot of scrambling because Jackson was signed to be a central part of the team’s defense now and in the future.