Patriots Release Cornerback J.C. Jackson Following Disappointing Season

New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson’s second stint with the team has ended. The team announced his release on Friday.

Signing as a free agent out of Maryland, Jackson spent the first four seasons of his career in New England before leaving the Patriots for a lucrative five-year deal worth $82.5 million with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Jackson was re-acquired by New England in a trade with Los Angeles following a disastrous 1 1/2-year stint in October but only suited up in eight games for the Patriots after being placed on the non-football illness (NFI) twice during the season. He was suspended for the Patriots’ trip to Germany after missing curfew at the team hotel.

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters on Wednesday that the team was still discussing how to handle the troubled cornerback.

“Those discussions are still going,” Mayo told reporters, per the Patriots. “I love J.C., coached him, saw him develop into a man. We’ll see how that goes going forward. But look, heck of a football player. Two years removed from injury, he’s probably going to move a lot better this year, so we’ll see.”

The 28-year-old pro-bowler had three years left on his contract, and it appears the move was simply a financial decision. Following Jackson’s release, the Patriots will add $13.46 million to their cap space, bringing New England to just over $103 million, according to Patscap’s Patriots Cap Space.