The Patriots added to their already deep cornerback corps Sunday by acquiring Michael Jackson from the Lions.
New England will send an undisclosed selection in the 2022 draft to Detroit. The pick’s value likely will be on a sliding scale depending on how Jackson performs. The club did not need to make a corresponding roster move as there are several open slots after eight players opted-out of the 2020 season.
The Patriots and Lions, whose general manager is longtime New England staffer Bob Quinn, have become frequent trade partners. Most recently, Bill Belichick sent safety Duron Harmon to Detroit in the offseason. The teams also swapped late-round picks in the transaction.
The Patriots are led at the position by reigning defensive player of the year Stephon Gilmore. The depth chart also includes Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones, J.C. Jackson, Joejuan Williams, D’Angelo Ross, and Myles Bryant.
A Miami product, the 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound Jackson was a fifth-round pick of the Cowboys in 2019. He spent the start of his rookie season on Dallas’s practice squad before Detroit signed him to its active roster. He played in one game last season and didn’t collect any statistics.
