The Detroit Lions are facing some pressure as an organization to make a move before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
With just under two weeks remaining until teams must make a move or elect to stand pat, the rumor mill is ablaze with potential moves that could boost the Lions. In particular, they're viewed as a team that needs to make a move at the cornerback spot.
Among the potential options is current Los Angeles Chargers veteran Donte Jackson. Now in his ninth NFL season, Jackson is on an expiring deal with the winless Chargers who could be looking to make moves and gain draft capital.
In a recent report from ESPN ranking the top-25 players most likely to be traded, Jackson was named as the 14th best player. The Lions were listed as one of his best fits, along with the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens.
"Corner is a position of need for several teams, and the Chargers likely could get a draft pick for Jackson," wrote ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "The 30-year-old has ball production and a reasonable contract -- a $6 million base salary. Plus, he is set to hit free agency in March."
The report from Fowler and Matt Bowen gave Jackson a 25 percent chance of being traded, which is not overwhelmingly high. However, if the Chargers continue to struggle it could increase those odds.
Additionally, the Chargers have two young cornerbacks in Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart that they would benefit from investing in. As a result, Jackson could be expendable .
On one hand, the injury history is a concern for the veteran. He has been sidelined since Oct. 4 with a hamstring injury but was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday's practice. If he's able to return to action this week, it would allow him the opportunity to boost his trade stock with a good performance.
His performance has been up-and-down, as he wouldn't be a dynamite, shutdown option that would drastically change the Lions' fortunes. However, the cost to add him wouldn't be overwhelming as a Day 3 pick would likely suffice, and this is the type of market that the Lions have traditionally made deals in throughout Brad Holmes' tenure as GM.
Detroit displayed a cornerback rotation throughout the win over Green Bay in Week 7 and appears to be confident in what they have. However, bringing in another veteran would be beneficial both for their overall depth as well as elevating the level of competition in the room.
Jackson has proven to be reliable throughout his career, which began in Carolina and included a one-year stint in Pittsburgh before signing with the Chargers before last season. Now, he could have the chance to be a part of a playoff run, and is in a similar position to where Za'Darius Smith was when the Lions traded for him.
Of course, the biggest thing for Detroit in the case of Jackson would be to confirm that he is healthy and would be available for the stretch run. However, if he's clear from a medical perspective, he would provide steady depth at the very least with the chance to be a starter and an impact player opposite of fellow veteran D.J. Reed.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi as The Case For And Against Detroit Lions Trading For CB Donte Jackson .
