Patriots rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez is out for the season because of a torn labrum. Adam Hunger/Associated Press
With standout rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez lost for the rest of the season because of a torn labrum in his shoulder, the New England Patriots reacquired a familiar face on Wednesday.
Now they hope a fresh start will help J.C. Jackson regain his old form.
The veteran cornerback is headed back to New England after the Chargers and Patriots agreed on a trade. The Chargers dealt Jackson and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Patriots for a 2025 sixth-rounder, according to a person familiar with the details but not authorized to speak publicly.
The Patriots (1-3) were in desperate need of reinforcements in the secondary. Jackson will be asked to fill a gaping hole left by the injury to Gonzalez, who found out Wednesday that’ll he’ll miss the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile, star linebacker Matthew Judon is expected to be out for at least two months because of a torn biceps tendon, according to the NFL Network.
Judon was scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday. ESPN reported that Judon wants to return and play again this season, but there are doubts whether he can or will. His exact recovery timeline will be determined after surgery.
The Patriots are coming off an ugly 38-3 loss on Sunday against the Cowboys that included the injuries to two key members of the defense.
Since his arrival in 2021, Judon has widely been considered the best player on the team. He leads the Patriots with four sacks this season and has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons.
“We will be with him mentally throughout this year, and I know he’ll be with us, too,” said defensive lineman Deatrich Wise. “There will be some guys behind him who will be stepping up and filling in his spot.”
Gonzalez had quickly become the team’s No. 1 cornerback after being selected in the first round of this year’s draft. The first assignments of Gonzalez’s NFL career were A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith of the Eagles, Tyreek Hill of the Dolphins, Garrett Wilson of the Jets, and then CeeDee Lamb of the Cowboys. Opposing quarterbacks had a 52.9 passer rating when targeting Gonzalez in coverage. The rookie hadn’t allowed a touchdown and gave up only 11 receptions on 20 targets (55%), for 124 yards. He added three passes defended, an interception and a sack.
Gonzalez was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Month in September.
The Patriots haven’t had Jonathan Jones for the past three games because of an ankle injury. Marcus Jones (shoulder) and Jack Jones (hamstring) are on injured reserve. Add in Gonzalez, and New England’s top four cornerbacks are injured. On Sunday, that forced them to play slot cornerback Myles Bryant and reserve cornerback Shaun Wade on the outside. The results weren’t great.
The Patriots do have depth at pass rusher, with Josh Uche (11.5 sacks last season), Wise (7.5 sacks last season), second-round pick Keion White and Anfernee Jennings.
It’s also possible Trey Flowers will be able to help. The Patriots signed Flowers midway through training camp and put him on the PUP list, where he’s been ever since. He was removed from the list this week and practiced on Wednesday, which opens a 21-day window for him to be activated to the 53-man roster..
That was no longer the case at cornerback, however, and that’s why trading for Jackson was necessary.
Jackson’s time with the Chargers was marked by injury, inconsistent play and legal issues off the field.
He joined the Chargers in March 2022 as a free agent after four seasons with the Patriots, signing a five-year contract that guaranteed him $40 million and is worth up to $82.5 million. At the time, the addition was celebrated as significant.
But Jackson never seemed to fit in with the Chargers or Coach Brandon Staley’s defensive scheme, his problems beginning when he missed the start of last season because of a foot injury.
Jackson made his Chargers debut the next week at Kansas City, but his struggles on the field reached the point where he was benched before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 7 against Seattle.
Jackson returned for the opening of training camp in late July and then started the first two games this season. But he was inactive in Week 3 against Minnesota and didn’t play this past weekend against Las Vegas despite being on the active roster.
Jackson also has dealt with a pair of legal problems in recent months, one involving a family matter and the other a probation violation. Both issues stemmed from his previous time with New England.
After earning a spot on the Patriots’ roster as an undrafted free agent in 2018, Jackson developed into one of the league’s best cornerbacks. He earned second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2021 – his last season in New England. Jackson collected 25 interceptions in four years with New England.
Now, Jackson will be asked to help the Patriots withstand the loss of Gonzalez.
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