The league levied two suspensions on cornerbacks currently sitting on the free agent market today. Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, former Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson received a one-game suspension, while former Jaguars cornerback Chris Claybrooks was given an eight-game suspension.
Jackson is dealing with the end of his second stint in New England. After an impressive four years in which he went from undrafted free agent to second-team All Pro and Pro Bowler, Jackson signed a massive five-year, $82.5MM contract with the Chargers in 2022. Jackson struggled in Los Angeles, though, getting benched before eventually rupturing his patellar tendon.
Halfway through last year, the Chargers traded Jackson back to New England along with a seventh-round pick, only receiving a sixth-rounder in return. After a season-ending injury to rookie first-round pick Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots hoped Jackson would be able to return to his former dominance and fill in as a starter. Mental health issues and a series of broken team rules led to some discipline from his own team. Combined with a history of off-field troubles in college, Jackson’s troubles led to his release from the Patriots after the season ended.
Jackson’s suspension stems from an arrest warrant that was issued for him in Massachusetts last September. He was wanted after failing to appear for a court hearing related to a reckless driving and speeding incident from 2021. If Jackson signs with a team soon, he would be eligible to participate in the remainder of the preseason but would have to sit out Week 1 and make his season debut in Week 2.
Claybrooks’ was a seventh-round pick back in 2020 for Jacksonville. As a rookie, he started four of 13 game appearances and followed that up with two starts in 16 games the next year. His role on defense continued to diminish in 2022 as he appeared in every game but failed to make any starts.
Starting in the 2023 offseason, Claybrooks began to display some troubling behavior, getting arrested in Nashville on charges of domestic assault with bodily injury and vandalism under $1,000 for allegedly grabbing a cell phone from a woman’s hand and throwing it on the ground. Three months later, Claybrooks was arrested a second time, this time in Duval, and this time for domestic violence. As a result, the Jaguars placed Claybrooks on the Commissioner Exempt list, and he didn’t appear in a game last season.
The suspension for his actions is eight games, but considering he spent all of last season on the exempt list, the league is deeming his eight-game suspension as complete do to time served. Should Claybrooks end up signing with a team, he would be eligible to play immediately. He faces a tall task to return with any team, though, after two separate arrests last offseason.
