NFL trade grades: Patriots trade for a familiar face after Christian Gonzalez injury

The New England Patriots always faced tough odds this season, as they had one of the toughest schedules in the NFL. The team currently sits at 1-3 on the season after Week 4, highlighted by the offense getting shutout by the Dallas Cowboys and quarterback Mac Jones being benched. The one bright spot for the Patriots has been the defense, which was stacked. But the team received some bad news.

New England's rookie first-round pick, cornerback Christian Gonzalez, suffered a torn labrum in his dislocated right shoulder and is likely to miss the rest of the season. That is a huge loss, as Gonzalez had been considered the favorite to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award through the first four games of the season. The Patriots needed help, and they brought back a familiar face.

According to NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport, the Patriots are acquiring cornerback J.C. Jackson from the Los Angeles Chargers. Albert Breer of The MMQB reports that the Chargers are sending Jackson and a 2025 seventh-round pick to New England, while the Patriots are sending back a 2025 sixth-round draft pick.

Additionally, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reports that the Chargers are paying the majority of Jackson's $12 million guaranteed salary to get a deal done.

NFL trade grades: Patriots reacquire JC Jackson, Chargers get rid of bloated contract

Now, let's grade this trade for both the Patriots and Chargers.

Jackson is yet another Patriots player to leave the team on a huge contract and eventually return. From the time he joined the team in 2018 as an undrafted free agent out of Maryland, Jackson developed into a legitimate shutdown cornerback in the NFL. Look no further than his two-season stretch in 2020 and 2021, where he recorded 17 interceptions and 37 pass breakups. After that 2021 season, Jackson signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Chargers.

In his four years with New England, Jackson recorded 158 combined tackles (129 solo, 29 assisted), 53 pass breakups, 25 interceptions, and three fumble recoveries.

Jackson's time in Los Angeles didn't pan out. Now, he gets to return to the Patriots, where he knows the defensive system in place. Yes, he didn't play well with Los Angeles, but if there's anyone who can help him turn things around, it's head coach Bill Belichick.

Plus for the Patriots, Jackson has no guaranteed salary beyond the 2023 season, so they can cut ties if things don't work out. That's a massive win.

The signing of Jackson had not gone the way the Chargers expected. Looking at his four years with the Patriots, the Chargers thought they were getting a true ballhawk for their defensive backfield, and they paid top dollar for him. But since joining the Chargers, they had buyer's remorse.

Jackson only played in five games in the 2022 season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee. This season, he was a healthy scratch for Week 3 and didn't play a single snap in Week 4. The writing was on the wall, and the Chargers found an interested trade partner in the Patriots.

In two seasons with the Chargers, Jackson recorded 18 combined tackles (15 solo, three assisted), five pass breakups, and one interception. In pass coverage, Jackson allowed 24 receptions for 452 yards and five touchdowns on 37 targets, per Pro Football Reference.

The Chargers realized that the signing of Jackson was a mistake, and decided to get some sort of return for the cornerback. Yes, it's a late-round pick, but it's better than getting nothing in return. However, they will have $15 million in dead money counts against the cap for the 2024 season.