The Seattle Seahawks have made their second trade this month, sending cornerback Mike Jackson Sr to the Carolina Panthers for rookie seventh-round linebacker Michael Barrett. There was always the chance that Jackson would be traded given the current state of the cornerback room, but to actually get a player in return is something of a surprise.
With a little bit of time to digest the situation, here’s how I feel about the Seahawks’ decision and general process.
Mike Jackson was never going to have particularly high trade value
Jackson started opposite Riq Woolen in the 2022 season and was a solid performer but not spectacular. His PFF grade was nothing special (for whatever value that holds, because I’m generally cautious taking them as gospel) but he wasn’t a sieve in terms of productivity against him when targeted. His completion percentage against was a respectable 62%, and he kept his penalty count fairly low.
The problem for Jackson is his particularly difficult 2023 preseason (rightfully) cost him his starting job to Tre Brown, and the only time he got extended snaps was through injury or when Riq Woolen got benched for bad tackling. He played well last year in a predominantly reserve role, although the performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers was a bad time to play some of his worst ball.
That means Jackson has a grand total of one year as a starting NFL cornerback in six seasons, and he hasn’t been anywhere close to earning significant Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors. Why should a career backup/practice squad player with a $1 million value contract command anything substantial? If he wasn’t traded, he would’ve likely been cut for nothing or made the team and walked in free agency for presumably nothing.
There was no indication that Jackson was going to win his starting role back, and he never got a look as a potential convert to safety despite fan speculation. Perhaps he deserved a shot to start somewhere else, and the Panthers were the best fit.
It’s a different position, I know, but Ryan Neal signed for the veteran’s minimum with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he had significant starting and/or playing time for three seasons in Seattle. Jackson never really had a shot at netting a higher pick.
D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett are probably safe
The Seahawks drafting two corners was already a hint that Jackson’s spot was in jeopardy. Pritchett has been almost exclusively on the outside, whereas James has been predominantly in the slot but has played outside in 26 of his 80 snaps. They’re both on four-year contracts and long-term plays (in theory), so while there might have been some debate over whether or not one of them (more James than Pritchett) could miss the cut, I think Jackson’s departure substantially increases their chances of being on the 53-man roster next week.
Also keep in mind that the Seahawks have Brown and Artie Burns also on expiring deals. Brown is looking for a big contract—the Seahawks have scarcely done this under John Schneider—while Burns is looking to secure his place as a nickel backup. I’m fairly confident Burns will be on the roster but I wouldn’t be shocked if there’s a surprise on that front, too.
The linebacker room needed more depth
Jerome Baker has hardly practiced since coming to Seattle and is not exactly going to be entering the regular season in tip-top shape. Tyrice Knight is probably going to be in the rotation behind Baker and Tyrel Dodson. That’s about it as far as comfort in depth.
Jon Rhattigan has been on the team for several years and not come particularly close to earning non-special teams snaps. Patrick O’Connell could even overtake Rhattigan on the depth chart given some of his performances in pass coverage, but he’s also never had a regular season snap. Drake Thomas just got back from injury and probably won’t factor. Easton Gibbs and Blake Lynch are just preseason depth pieces and they’re more likely than not getting cut by next Tuesday.
Michael Barrett was on my radar as a potential Day 3 pick for the Seahawks, but he went to the Panthers instead. He was part of that great Michigan defense, winning a national championship in his senior season. Junior Colson was the higher profile linebacker and he’s with the Los Angeles Chargers, but Barrett was very accomplished in his own right.
Here’s what our SB Nation friends at Maize’N’Brew had to say about Barrett when the Panthers drafted him:
When looking at Barrett as a prospect, the main thing that’s tough to avoid is his age. Barrett just turned 24 in December, and while it’s not unheard of for older prospects to be drafted highly, it’s still not very common. Additionally, Barrett has had some deficiencies in the run game, such as shedding blocks and poor instincts that might prevent him from being an every-down defender at the next level.
However, Barrett has shown to be a weapon in the pass game, as he shows solid skills in both man and zone coverage. He has also been a solid tackler throughout his college career with good technique and plenty of pop in his pads. This skillset can make him at least a solid contributor on special teams that can earn a roster spot even in his first year.
I don’t know if Barrett will amount to anything and it’s hard to ignore he’s on the smaller size as a linebacker, but I trust Mike Macdonald to know his strengths and weaknesses and determine if he can crack the rotation and be a contributor on special teams.
