Chargers Benched Pro Bowl Corner Against Broncos

The Los Angeles Chargers may already be regretting one of their 2022 free-agent splashes. The team benched cornerback J.J Jackson in the second half of their 19-16 win over the Denver Broncos after a brutal first two quarters.

Chargers coach Brandon Staley on benching J.C. Jackson: "It just wasn’t good enough in the first half, and we felt like we needed to make a change"https://t.co/1vXrKlG1io pic.twitter.com/3e6G6ZaClC
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) October 18, 2022

Charger head coach Brandon Staley clarified during his postgame presser that Jackson hadn't suffered any notable injury. The Pro Bowler was apparently responsible for a blown coverage on the Broncos' only touchdown of the game, a 39-yard pass to tight end Greg Dulcich.

Jackson has struggled this season since returning from an August ankle procedure, allowing an eye-popping 149.0 passer rating across his first four games. Jackson had never allowed a rating above 62.7 in any of his previous four seasons.

J.C. Jackson opponent passer rating allowed:

2018 -- 60.2
2019 -- 35.9
2020 -- 62.7
2021 -- 52.4
2022 -- 149.0
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) October 18, 2022

J.C. Jackson joined the Chargers during the 2022 offseason on a five-year, $82.5 million deal after four excellent seasons with the New England Patriots. Jackson totalled a staggering 25 interceptions and 53 pass breakups with the Patriots as a man-coverage star, but he has evidently stumbled transitioning to the Chargers' zone-coverage scheme.