Go back several weeks and this isn't the news Green Bay Packers fans would expect, but rookie cornerback Domani Jackson has been waived amid the initial batch of roster cuts ahead of today's 5 p.m. CT deadline.
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports that Jackson won't make the Packers' 53-man roster.
General manager Brian Gutekunst isn't one to part with rookie draft picks. Jackson was viewed as something of a steal as a sixth-round selection, the 201st overall, out of Alabama. His work ethic and resilience even earned an endorsement from former Packers safety Ha-ha Clinton-Dix.
Injuries held Jackson back, though, and by the end, second-year corner Kamal Hadden had taken his spot on the depth chart. Ultimately, the decision to leave Jackson off the initial 53-man roster wasn't so much a shocker as a straightforward move mandated by roster math.
Packers broke tradition in choosing Kamal Hadden over Domani Jackson
Jackson was behind the 8-ball to begin with having missed the start of training camp while recovering from offseason core surgery. His preseason outings against the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals were unflattering, to say the least. While Hadden surged, Jackson failed to secure the benefit of the doubt as a rookie draft investment.
Hadden overcame his own injury obstacles. Like Jackson, he missed part of camp making his way back from a leg fracture he suffered in Week 17 last season. The difference is that he returned sooner and maximized his chances.
Is it at least a bit surprising that the Packers went with Hadden, a 2024 Kansas City Chiefs sixth-rounder, over their own pick in Jackson? It is, a little. It certainly seemed like Hadden was up against it before he took the field healthy and dominated. He has probably locked up the backup slot corner role behind Javon Bullard.
Things change quickly. Jackson may well have sealed his fate with a poor preseason showing. At that point, his best shot to make the roster was if the Packers decided to carry six corners, instead of five. They didn't.
Surprising or not, the move wouldn't be noteworthy in the least were Jackson undrafted. But typically, and probably more than the average team, the Packers look for reasons not to cut rookie draft picks. It's unfortunate in Jackson's case that he wasn't able to give them one.
That said, it's safe to assume that Jackson will be back on the practice squad if he clears waivers, which he should. He could see an opportunity midseason due to injury. After missing so much of the summer, Jackson might simply need more time to get his feet wet in an NFL setting.
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