Carolina Panthers re-sign CB Mike Jackson as efforts to strengthen defense continue
The Carolina Panthers are retaining a pleasant surprise from 2024.
A league source confirmed to The Charlotte Observer Monday that the Panthers are re-signing cornerback Mike Jackson to a two-year, $14.5 million deal. Jackson was on the market for approximately seven hours before being locked down by Carolina — the organization that traded him for seventh-round pick Michael Barrett in August, right before the start of last season.
Jackson wasn’t initially heralded as the Panthers’ solution to play opposite Pro Bowler Jaycee Horn. His acquisition, in fact, was only done after general manager Dan Morgan’s first solution at cornerback — veteran Dane Jackson — started 2024 injured. Dane Jackson was cut from the team a few weeks ago.
But Mike Jackson proved that the Panthers got a relative bargain for him last season. And he proved so quickly. The 28-year-old played 100% of the defensive snaps in every game besides Week 7. He finished second in defensive snaps on the team, just behind veteran safety and current free agent Xavier Woods.
In those snaps, Jackson finished with 76 tackles, two interceptions and 19 pass deflections. His Pro Football Focus (PFF) coverage grade ended up being a 68.1 over the course of the season.
His two best games came Week 9 against the Saints, when he notched the game-sealing pass breakup on fourth down, and in the season finale against the Falcons. That finale saw Jackson notch a 35.8 passer rating against — a season-best, according to PFF — even as rookie quarterback Michael Penix was putting on one of his best performances of his young NFL career. Jackson finished the season with a 66.7% opponent reception percentage, per PFF.
Jackson’s signing marks an important step toward filling out the Panthers’ defensive backfield for 2025 and beyond.
The team signed Horn to a massive deal on Monday. The Pro Bowler agreed to a four-year contract extension that is worth a total of $100 million, including $70 million in guaranteed money, The Observer previously reported. The contract makes Horn the highest-paid corner in NFL history.
Horn’s signing was the first — but certainly not the last — move the Panthers made on the first day of the legal tampering period. The organization was quite active in free agency.
Carolina agreed in principle to acquire Tre’von Moehrig from the Las Vegas Raiders to help beef up the team’s defensive backfield. The 25-year-old, 6-foot-2, 202-pound safety is a noted run stopper and notched 104 tackles and two interceptions in 2024. Outside of Moehrig, the team also beefed up their defensive front, reaching agreements with defensive end Patrick Jones II (formerly of the Vikings), defensive tackle Bobby Brown III (Rams) and DT Tershawn Wharton (Chiefs).
Even with the Jackson news, the Panthers sill have some work to do to fill out a pretty young returning group of defensive backs. Among those returners include second-year safety Demani Richardson — he and Moehrig are the only two safeties set on the roster for 2025 — and 2024 draft pick nickel-corner Chau Smith-Wade.
This story was originally published March 10, 2025 at 7:19 PM.
