Dane Jackson has seemingly been on the Buffalo Bills roster for a decade, but he's only 27 years old and has plenty more years to offer. The question is, will those years be in Buffalo. His situation reminds me of Levi Wallace. He's a player who's not elite, and teams are always looking to upgrade from him but can't seem to beat him. Christian Benford has officially taken the number two corner spot opposite Rasul Douglas this season.
Tre'Davious White will also be back next season, maybe around mid-season or sooner. So, does that move Jackson down to fourth on the depth chart? I think Jackson would like to stay in Buffalo, but I don't know if they can pay him what he could get on the open market. Spotrac has his market value projected at $3.1 million average annual salary. Will a team be willing to pay more to him to be their number two corner?
Jackson played 462 snaps in 2023 and recorded 37 total tackles, 13 stops, and no interceptions. Per Pro Football Focus, he was targeted 31 times, allowing a quarterback rating of 102.8 and 10.4 yards per reception. Not exactly eye-popping numbers but he provides terrific depth and knows his job. Coach McDermott and the staff trust him too. At the end of the day, I don't think he will re-sign with the Bills. He'll likely want to start somewhere and that's not going to happen in Buffalo.
My hope is that he returns in 2024 because White won't be available for at least the first month of the season or more. Having him for that depth at a position the Bills seem to struggle to stay healthy at, is vital. Even with Kaiir Elam on the roster still, and yes Elam will be on the roster in 2024, you can never have too many cornerbacks in this league.