The plot could be thickening at cornerback for the New England Patriots with the recent drama involving J.C. Jackson.
Per the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport, Jackson isn’t expected to travel with the team to Germany for their Week 10 clash with the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt. He will be staying behind as part of a “mental reset” a week after being benched by the Patriots against the Washington Commanders.
Good luck trying to decipher the reasoning for the benching. Cornerback Jack Jones was also benched against the Commanders, but coach Bill Belichick hasn’t been forthcoming with an explanation for that decision.
The Patriots have been carved up through the air in back-to-back weeks to Tua Tagovailoa and Sam Howell.
#Patriots CB J.C. Jackson is not expected to travel to Germany with the team, sources tell me and @RapSheet. He’ll stay home as part of mental reset for after the bye. pic.twitter.com/W0QUjpHiz5
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 8, 2023
Jackson reportedly declined to speak to the media after the loss to the Commanders, and Jones left the building early. So there has been no official explanation from the players involved, either.
It’s a sad turn of events considering Jackson was initially seen as a strong replacement for Patriots standout rookie corner Christian Gonzalez, who was lost to a season-ending shoulder injury.
The turmoil on the field has seemingly spilled into the locker room for the once buttoned-up Patriots organization.
