When the Denver Broncos signed veteran defensive back Kareem Jackson in March, it was unclear if the team planned to play him as a cornerback or as a safety. At minicamp earlier this week, he played at safety. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s locked into that position, though.
“We played him at safety in this camp, for the reason that there’s more to learn at safety than there is at corner,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio explained Thursday. “He’s played much more corner in his career, so I wanted him to get more work in this camp — all of his work — at the safety position, to feel comfortable there.”
Jackson spent the first nine years of his career with the Houston Texans and he played as a cornerback for a large majority of his time there. Denver’s having him learn its safety position first — he’ll also spend some time at cornerback this offseason.
“He’ll be out there somewhere,” Fangio said. “Where, I don’t know. And I’m being honest with you.”
Broncos defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said Thursday that Jackson’s versatility is appreciated by the team’s defensive staff.
“The guy has played a lot of positions in the NFL,” Donatell said. “He started as a corner, a nickel and a safety. That’s what we like. We just liked the way he played football and we knew we were building this defense. We’ll plug him in where he best suits us.”
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Jackson move around in the secondary depending on the offense Denver is facing each week.
